Brock Boeser’s tenure in Vancouver has had its ups and downs. The forward began his career with a hot start in his first full season in 2017-18 after having a nine-game taste in the previous season. He scored 55 points in 62 games and looked to improve from there. But over the next five seasons, he never eclipsed 56 points and was talked about in trade rumours all the time. But a resurgent 2023-24 season has cemented himself as a valuable member of the Canucks core and has been one of many reasons why they have made it into the second round.
Boeser’s Resurgent Season Has Made Him a Key Piece of the Roster
Boeser hit a low point in his career during his last three seasons where he saw his goal and point production decrease from what fans expected of him. He regressed in the 2019-20 season where he only scored 16 goals, had back-to-back 40-point seasons in 2021 and 2022, and although his point production spiked last season, he only ended it with 18 goals. The writing looked to be on the wall for Boeser and his time in Vancouver looked to be coming to an end. Until this season, when everything clicked.
Boeser opened the season with a four-goal game against the Edmonton Oilers and his season took off from there. He played a magnificent season with the Canucks and was a huge part of their offensive firepower along with Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller. Finding his game at this time was the best thing for Boeser as now all teams that play the Canucks need to worry about him along with the other threats that they have. Boeser finished the season with 40 goals and 73 points. It was the first time he had ever hit 40 goals in his career.
Boeser’s Scoring Helped Canucks Win Their First-Round Series
Every player has that one game in the playoffs that is remembered forever as one of the best performances of all time. Max Talbot’s two-goal game for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final in 2009, and Wayne Gretzky’s hat trick for the Los Angeles Kings against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the conference finals in 1993 come to mind. But Canucks fans will always remember the incredible hat trick that Boeser scored in Game 4 against the Nashville Predators in 2024.
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Boeser took a Canucks team that looked to be preparing for a Game 5 against the Predators before Game 4 was over and took over the game to force overtime. After already scoring a goal earlier in the game, he scored two goals in the final minutes to force overtime. Vancouver went on to win that game in overtime. Without that incredible game by Boeser, the Canucks may not be in the second round right now since Nashville ended up winning Game 5 and could have won the series on home ice in Game 6.
Boeser added even more to Vancouver’s series win outside of those three goals in Game 4. He recorded another goal and two assists during the other five games in the series to total six points in six playoff games. He has found a home playing with Miller and Pius Suter and has found his role on the powerplay as the finisher on the left-wing boards. With Boeser playing this way, the Canucks become a much more dangerous team to play against because they have more options in the offensive zone and more players that can score when the team needs a goal.
Boeser’s newfound game is blossoming at the right time and his scoring is rising just when Vancouver needs it most. The Canucks were able to have a defensive battle against the Predators but that will not happen against the Edmonton Oilers. With their firepower, they will look to outscore Vancouver, but the Canucks have more firepower than Edmonton realizes with all of their great offensive weapons. It should be a great series.