A rollercoaster.
ThatB次元官网网址檚 how Brock Boeser describes his emotional journey over the last year.
The Vancouver Canucks forward lost his father Duke to cancer on May 27, 2022 which subsequently impacted his on-ice performance. He was almost a healthy scratch against the Arizona Coyotes on Hockey Fights Cancer night on Dec. 3, 2022. The situation snowballed to the point where Boeser and his agent Ben Hankinson were eventually given permission by the organization to explore trade options.
Boeser even admitted in the teamB次元官网网址檚 season-ending media availability session that at points he B次元官网网址榬esentedB次元官网网址� the game given the adversity he had gone through.
This off-season, however, BoeserB次元官网网址檚 love for the game was rekindled. He made some tweaks to his off-season workout program and re-dedicated himself to the game.
The results have been shocking.
Not only has Boeser regained his previous form, heB次元官网网址檚 surpassed it.
He now leads the NHL in goals with 17 after his two tallies in the Canucks 3-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks Tuesday night at Rogers Arena. With the pair of goals, Boeser is now two ahead of Tampa BayB次元官网网址檚 Nikita Kucherov and FloridaB次元官网网址檚 Sam Reinhart for tops in the NHL.
B次元官网网址淚t just shows how crazy this league is. There are times when you get low blows and there are times when you have highs. ItB次元官网网址檚 a rollercoaster but you have to stay even keel and focus on the process,B次元官网网址� Boeser replied when asked about what has transpired over the last year.
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet sees a difference in BoeserB次元官网网址檚 game this year B次元官网网址� particularly in his own end.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 played better defensively than last year B次元官网网址� heB次元官网网址檚 conscientious. HeB次元官网网址檚 also actually one of our better practice players and I think his practice habits have translated into his game now. Whatever the drill is, it seems like the spots heB次元官网网址檚 going to score goals fromB次元官网网址heyB次元官网网址檙e there. The repetitive drills we do in practiceB次元官网网址hich he is doing properlyB次元官网网址omehow in the game heB次元官网网址檚 getting those chances. HeB次元官网网址檚 also going to the net more this year. Now itB次元官网网址檚 about keeping that consistency level. HeB次元官网网址檚 raised that bar now we have to keep it there,B次元官网网址� Tocchet noted.
Canucks captain Quinn Hughes says BoeserB次元官网网址檚 hard work has paid off not only in terms of production but in his overall value to the team.
B次元官网网址淚 see a lot in his game. It seems like heB次元官网网址檚 really grown over the last couple of years. HeB次元官网网址檚 a man B次元官网网址� emotionally and physically. He had a great summer of training and put everything he had into it. He came here and heB次元官网网址檚 had a great start to the year. For him now itB次元官网网址檚 just staying consistent which I know he will do. HeB次元官网网址檚 been great for us. ItB次元官网网址檚 not just the goals - heB次元官网网址檚 been on that matchup line with Millsy (J.T. Miller) and playing on top of guys and itB次元官网网址檚 just been massive for our group,B次元官网网址� says Hughes.
With 17 goals, Boeser only needs one goal to match last yearB次元官网网址檚 total of 18. Barring injury, he should eclipse his career-high of 29 goals set in his rookie season of 2017-18.
OVERTIME:
*Elias PetterssonB次元官网网址檚 goal against Anaheim was just his second in ten games. There has been plenty of speculation on whether or not Pettersson is playing hurt but his play in the third period against the Ducks was encouraging as he was his old dominant self. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 happy with the fact that heB次元官网网址檚 recognized that he has to play better in certain situations. He knows it. I also think sometimes heB次元官网网址檚 reading off other people too much. We talked about it the other day B次元官网网址� you just go. You do your thing. ItB次元官网网址檚 our job to get other people to react off of you. HeB次元官网网址檚 just got to be more decisive and play a little quicker through the neutral zone,B次元官网网址� answered Tocchet when asked if he thought Pettersson was staying true to the process.
*Forward Andrei Kuzmenko returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for two games. After the game, Tocchet categorized KuzmenkoB次元官网网址檚 performance as B次元官网网址極KB次元官网网址�.
*Canucks forward Ilya Mikheyev left the game in the third period after taking a shot in the left leg and did not return. Tocchet said afterwards that he should be B次元官网网址極KB次元官网网址� after X-Rays came back negative.
*Prior the game, the Canucks announced that they traded forward Anthony Beauvillier to the Chicago Blackhawks for a fifth-round draft pick. The move clears a $4.15 contract off the books and gives the organization some wiggle room in an effort to acquire a defenseman.
*Boeser was at the University of North Dakota the same time as Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back Brady Oliveira. While Boeser isnB次元官网网址檛 exactly close to the Oliveira these days, he speaks highly of the Bomber running backB次元官网网址檚 character having known him during his time at UND from 2015 to 2017.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob B次元官网网址渢he MojB次元官网网址� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
