Outside of the rampant speculation and drama surrounding the Vancouver Canucks this season, Brock Boeser’s impending unrestricted free agency would otherwise make for a lot of headlines in British Columbia. In a recent article from Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre, it appears the longest-tenured member of the Canucks will have his career with the organization come to an unceremonious end.
Part of the unnoteworthiness of Boeser’s contract status is due to his unnoteworthiness play this season. He got off to a quick start, as did Vancouver, scoring six goals and 11 points through the first 12 contests before an elbow to the head from Los Angeles Kings forward Tanner Jeannot cost Boeser three weeks of the season due to a concussion.
Since returning from his concussion shortly before American Thanksgiving, Boeser has scored nine goals and 16 points in 25 games albeit with a -10 rating. Outside of some poor play on the defensive side of the puck, this would normally be fine production from a top-six winger in nearly any team’s arsenal. However, most top-six wingers aren’t coming off a career year like Boeser.
He scored 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games during the 2023-24 NHL season and was setting himself up for a handsome payday, with the Canucks or elsewhere, should he have continued putting the pucks in the net with such efficiency. Instead, Boeser has typically mirrored the center of whichever line he’s been on which has usually been next to the disengaged and lethargic Elias Pettersson or J.T. Miller.
According to the report from MacIntyre, the Canucks have decided upon a soft deadline with Boeser indicating he’ll be extended or traded by the trade deadline on March 7th. It would be uncommon for a team only one point removed from the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference to move one of their top goal-scorers and longest-tenured players at the deadline but it would follow in line with the lack of normalcy in Vancouver this year.
Boeser should command a formidable trade market given his recent goal-scoring capabilities, his mild 10-team modified no-trade clause, and his status as an impending unrestricted free agent. He makes the most sense for the Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, and St. Louis Blues as playoff-hungry teams who could use more goal-scoring but none of them strike as teams with much appetite for the rental market this season.
Teams that are clear contenders, such as the Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, or even his hometown Minnesota Wild would likely have the most interest should Boeser ultimately get moved. Still, the deadline proposed by the Canucks’ brass doesn’t point to an immediate trade, but it certainly seems to be heading in that direction.
It looks like Vancouver is clueless on several levels. When one of your leaders walks away, And quits on his teammates, And isn’t disciplined by management, There is clearly no leadership. The wheels are coming off.
I don’t think you could have foreseen the complete turmoil – I understand betting on Miller over Horvat because he was more offensive & has an agitator edge to him (just didn’t count on him being more agitating in the dressing room). But Horvat was a stronger uniter while Hughes just ain’t that type. Boeser is seeking a big & lengthy payday – something that is completely understandable. As a Canucks fan I wouldn’t want to commit more than 8mX4. Trade him ASAP.
There will definitely be a significant market for Brock Boeser. Actually, there are teams not even listed in this article I feel would have interest in him especially with the trade deadline cap. Furthermore, I think any team that goes for Boeser at the trade deadline is going after him with a contract extension in mind. It should be intriguing as we near closer to the deadline.
Boeser has scored nine goals and 16 points in 25 games albeit with a -10 rating. Not interested in signing him long term, unless it is about $7M AAV. He is better off going to FA.