The Canuck Way
Fansided

Canucks Rewind: Brock Boeser’s NHL debut, and his time in Vancouver so far

By Zaahid Lalani

VANCOUVER, BC - JANUARY 27: Brock Boeser #6 of the Vancouver Canucks looks to make a pass during NHL hockey action against the Ottawa Senators at Rogers Arena on January 27, 2021 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BC - JANUARY 27: Brock Boeser #6 of the Vancouver Canucks looks to make a pass during NHL hockey action against the Ottawa Senators at Rogers Arena on January 27, 2021 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next
Brock Boeser of the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Brock Boeser of the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

On March 25th, 2017, the Vancouver Canucks were gearing up to play the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center.

At the time, this contest didn’t have too much significance for the Canucks, aside from airing on a Saturday night. The team, who had missed the playoffs the previous year, was in the middle of their drastic rebuild, and their position in the standings indicated that they were destined to be on the outside looking in once again.

However, for most of us, this game was never about the final score, or how it would impact their position in the standings. Instead, Canucks fans and management alike were focused on the projected line combinations; in particular, all eyes were on the right wing, as rookie Brock Boeser was set to make his highly-anticipated NHL debut.

Boeser’s career early on

Originally selected 23rd overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, there was already a tremendous amount of pressure on Boeser’s shoulders as soon as he joined the Canucks’ organization. The team had officially moved on from their aging stars, and they desperately needed to fill their roster with young, talented pieces that could quickly transition into the big leagues when called upon.

It was also no surprise that the Canucks were trending in the wrong direction when it came to offensive firepower, so general manager Jim Benning and co. were hopeful that Boeser, alongside recent 2013 first-round pick Bo Horvat, would be the initial building blocks of a new franchise core that could lead them back to the playoffs.

More from The Canuck Way

Not to mention, Boeser was part of one of the deepest draft classes in recent history, having been chosen in the same round as game-changing players like Kyle Connor, Mitch Marner, Jack Eichel and, of course, Connor McDavid.

So, naturally, his performance expectations were already through the roof in Vancouver.

Following the draft, Boeser decided to return to the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) to play for the University of North Dakota. He scored at over a point-per-game pace that season, notching 60 points in 42 games, and he also was a key factor in helping the team capture the NCAA Division 1 National Championship.

Boeser was unfortunately limited to 32 games the following season due to a wrist injury, but was still able to put up 34 points during that span. The right-winger once again helped guide his team into the postseason, but they weren’t able to replicate their success from last year. They were knocked out of the tournament in heartbreak fashion, falling to Boston University in a 4-3 double-overtime loss on March 24th, 2017.

While most young players would usually take the weekend to replay the game over and over in their head to see what they could’ve done differently, Boeser had to completely shift his mindset back into play-now mode.

Less than 12 hours after his team’s playoff exit, Boeser signed his three-year entry-level contract with the Canucks in preparation for his debut that Saturday evening.

Home/History