With Brock Boeser likely missing the remainder of 2017-18, it’s just the latest reminder that the Vancouver Canucks haven’t gotten any luck in what’s been a miserable season.
There was almost nothing for Vancouver Canucks fans to celebrate in 2015-16 or 2016-17. Even when they entered the draft lottery with high chances of picking in the top-three, they only fell down and wound up with the fifth selection both years.
But despite this team’s struggles in 2017-18, rookie sensation Brock Boeser breathed plenty of new hope and life into the franchise. With 29 goals and 55 points on the season, he was in line to seriously contend for the Calder Trophy.
Unfortunately, Boeser’s All-Star season may have ended for good on Monday, following a serious back injury that will keep him out for four-to-six weeks. That could mean that we’ve seen the last of Boeser’s epic rookie campaign:
Injury update on Boeser, who will make a full recovery in 4-6 weeks. pic.twitter.com/BYaWlbTfAM
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) March 6, 2018
Boeser, Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi formed the ‘Killer B’s Line’ which had the Canucks hanging on in the playoff race through November. But a fractured foot forced Horvat to miss nearly two months of action. Baertschi suffered a broken jaw and missed a month. He is now done for the season after suffering a shoulder injury.
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Only a team like the Canucks would get so unlucky. Just when their young players come together and make this team competitive, the three first liners suffer long-term injuries. Two of them season-ending.
Defenceman Chris Tanev has only appeared in 38 games this season, missing nearly half the campaign thus far with numerous injuries. By the way, he’s their best and only consistent blueliner. No. 2 defenceman Alexander Edler has missed 12 games.
Derek Dorsett was enjoying what could have been a career year on offence, but a neck injury forced him to decide it was time to retire.
By the way, Markus Granlund and Loui Eriksson are also done for the year with ankle and fractured rib injuries, respectively.
Yes, the Canucks don’t have the roster depth other teams had. But find me the last time an NHL team stayed hot when virtually all of their top-nine forwards and top-two blueliners missed significant time.
It just sums up the misfortunes of this Canucks franchise. They were getting contributions from most of their forwards early in the season, and the defensive structure looked better under head coach Travis Green.
But somehow and someway, the injuries piled up to almost all of their core players. Boeser was the best thing to happen to this team in years, but an unfortunate back injury ended all of that. Really, how much worse can it get for this team and its fans?
Next: Top propects of week 20: Stukel, Pettersson, Lind
2017-18 has just been a brutal year for the franchise, with no breaks at all. Their last hope at salvation? Getting some lady luck in the draft lottery. They’re long overdue for a bounce, after all.