A rollercoaster.
That含羞草研究社檚 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 team含羞草研究社檚 season-ending media availability session that at points he 含羞草研究社榬esented含羞草研究社� the game given the adversity he had gone through.
This off-season, however, Boeser含羞草研究社檚 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, he含羞草研究社檚 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 Bay含羞草研究社檚 Nikita Kucherov and Florida含羞草研究社檚 Sam Reinhart for tops in the NHL.
含羞草研究社淚t just shows how crazy this league is. There are times when you get low blows and there are times when you have highs. It含羞草研究社檚 a rollercoaster but you have to stay even keel and focus on the process,含羞草研究社� Boeser replied when asked about what has transpired over the last year.
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet sees a difference in Boeser含羞草研究社檚 game this year 含羞草研究社� particularly in his own end.
含羞草研究社淗e含羞草研究社檚 played better defensively than last year 含羞草研究社� he含羞草研究社檚 conscientious. He含羞草研究社檚 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 he含羞草研究社檚 going to score goals from含羞草研究社hey含羞草研究社檙e there. The repetitive drills we do in practice含羞草研究社hich he is doing properly含羞草研究社omehow in the game he含羞草研究社檚 getting those chances. He含羞草研究社檚 also going to the net more this year. Now it含羞草研究社檚 about keeping that consistency level. He含羞草研究社檚 raised that bar now we have to keep it there,含羞草研究社� Tocchet noted.
Canucks captain Quinn Hughes says Boeser含羞草研究社檚 hard work has paid off not only in terms of production but in his overall value to the team.
含羞草研究社淚 see a lot in his game. It seems like he含羞草研究社檚 really grown over the last couple of years. He含羞草研究社檚 a man 含羞草研究社� emotionally and physically. He had a great summer of training and put everything he had into it. He came here and he含羞草研究社檚 had a great start to the year. For him now it含羞草研究社檚 just staying consistent which I know he will do. He含羞草研究社檚 been great for us. It含羞草研究社檚 not just the goals - he含羞草研究社檚 been on that matchup line with Millsy (J.T. Miller) and playing on top of guys and it含羞草研究社檚 just been massive for our group,含羞草研究社� says Hughes.
With 17 goals, Boeser only needs one goal to match last year含羞草研究社檚 total of 18. Barring injury, he should eclipse his career-high of 29 goals set in his rookie season of 2017-18.
OVERTIME:
*Elias Pettersson含羞草研究社檚 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. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 happy with the fact that he含羞草研究社檚 recognized that he has to play better in certain situations. He knows it. I also think sometimes he含羞草研究社檚 reading off other people too much. We talked about it the other day 含羞草研究社� you just go. You do your thing. It含羞草研究社檚 our job to get other people to react off of you. He含羞草研究社檚 just got to be more decisive and play a little quicker through the neutral zone,含羞草研究社� 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 Kuzmenko含羞草研究社檚 performance as 含羞草研究社極K含羞草研究社�.
*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 含羞草研究社極K含羞草研究社� 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 isn含羞草研究社檛 exactly close to the Oliveira these days, he speaks highly of the Bomber running back含羞草研究社檚 character having known him during his time at UND from 2015 to 2017.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob 含羞草研究社渢he Moj含羞草研究社� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
