Vancouver Canucks: All-Star MVP Brock Boeser puts NHL on notice
By Alex Hoegler
After a tremendous showing at the NHL All-Star weekend in Tampa Bay, Brock Boeser put the league on notice and showed the world that he’s now in the class of elite superstars.
The Vancouver Canucks haven’t given their fans much to celebrate since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2011. Heartbreaking playoff losses, head coach firings, bad trades and yet another non-playoff year on the horizon.
But rookie Brock Boeser has breathed new hope into an organization that badly needs it most. While the Canucks look destined for another bottom-five finish in the league standings, Boeser is giving this team and fans something to look forward to.
The 20-year-old is in the running for the Calder Trophy, with 24 goals and 43 points on the season. But outside of Vancouver, it didn’t seem like Boeser was receiving the attention of other superstars like Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Brad Marchand and Patrick Kane, among others.
Well, ‘The Flow’ finally got the chance to prove himself during the All-Star weekend in Tampa Bay, Florida. All he did was win the shooting accuracy contest on Saturday, before helping the Pacific Division win Sunday’s tournament.
Boeser finished with two goals and an assist, and became the first Canucks player to win All-Star Game MVP. He also left the Sunshine State with some pretty nice cash:
That’s right, Canucks fans. For all the pain and torture you’ve gone through, it’s Vancouver than owns Boeser. You know, the guy who stood out more than any NHL player over the weekend. Who needs Crosby or Stamkos these days?
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And to think Boeser could have even more points if top centre Bo Horvat and fellow winger Sven Baertschi didn’t each miss a month due to injuries. No matter who he’s skated with, Boeser has found ways to use that lethal shot and put the puck in the net.
The Canucks haven’t seen a natural goal-scorer like this since the Pavel Bure days. Must I remind you that the ‘Russian Rocket’ hasn’t played for the Canucks in 20 years? It’s been a long wait, but Boeser has finally arrived.
Not a lot has gone right for the Canucks this season, but Boeser has been worth watching on his own.
We’re looking at a perennial 30-40 goal scorer who will be the face of this franchise. The torch is being passed from the Sedin twins to Horvat and Boeser. It’s a great time for Canucks fans, regardless of where they sit in the standings.
Boeser has more points than Patrice Bergeron, Brent Burns, Leon Draisaitl, Nicklas Backstrom and Filip Forsberg. He’s got more goals than Tyler Seguin, and Jamie Benn, among otherrs., Phil Kessel, Brad Marchand and Jack Eichel.. Can we put him in the class of top-of-the-top stars yet?
Consider that most of those players are substantially older than Boeser, too. He isn’t just one of the future faces of the NHL. He presently is one of the game’s brightest stars, but Boeser’s rookie status has people overlooking his world class talents.
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That’s fine with him. Boeser flew under the radar on All-Star weekend, and took home the game’s MVP award. Hopefully the rest of the league starts paying attention to the new superstar, who left a memorable mark in Tampa Bay.