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