Canucks considering contract extension for healthy Boeser
Brock Boeser is back and contract extension talks could get on track.
The Calder Trophy finalist has not only fully recovered from a back injury and troublesome wrist, the Vancouver Canucks’ winger was scheduled to play Wednesday in the summer Da Beauty League opener in Minnesota that features NHL and college players who have ties to the state.
Boeser’s health could mean wealth with a possible contract extension this summer, even though the 21-year-old winger has a year remaining on his entry-level deal.
“I talked to his agent (Ben Hankinson) this past week and we’ll have more time in the next couple of weeks to talk about it (extension) internally and then hear from their side,” Canucks’ general manager Jim Benning said Wednesday.
“If we’re going to do something, we’d do it then.” And before training camp? “I don’t know that,” said Benning. “It’s too premature to try to guess what direction it’s going to go. We’ll see where they’re at and where we’re at and see if something works.”
Boeser’s outstanding 29-goal, 55-point rookie season in 69 games — including a 16.2 shooting percentage — was either an anomaly or a foundation for even bigger numbers next season.
And because Boeser isn’t a one-dimensional dynamo, his agent can count on his client pushing the complete-player envelope and hitting higher plateaus — even on a roster missing 146 points from the departed Thomas Vanek and retired Henrik and Daniel Sedin.
Bo Horvat didn’t sign his six-year, US$33 million extension until Sept. 8 last year. He was coming off a 52-point (2032) season.
So, are there 15 more points in Boeser to hit the 70-point plateau? The Canucks could wait and see or pay now instead of more later.
David Pasternak of the Boston Bruins inked a six-year, $40 million extension six days after Horvat’s deal was signed. The winger was coming off a 70-point season (34-36).