Ken Hitchcock is a very good coach, highly respected, and a stickler for strong defense, and he has consistently given Bouwmeester the 2nd most even-strength and total time-on-ice per game for the Blues, and most shorthanded time-on-ice per game.
Babcock is the most highly respected coach in the game, and a stickler for structured play all over the ice, and has now had Bouwmeester on his team for the last 2 best-on-best Team Canadas.
The inclusion of Muzzin & Burns shows that this is not simply an old boys club, so maybe the reality is that knowledgeable hockey people think Bouwmeester is a very, very good defenseman.
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