Boeser’s absence leads to juggling act
Prized rookie winger not expected to be out of lineup long with foot bruise
NEXT GAME
Today
Dallas Stars vs. Vancouver Canucks 7 p.m., Rogers Arena, SNP, SNET 650 Brock Boeser didn’t practise Sunday but was walking without a limp. This is actually good news.
The Vancouver Canucks rookie right winger, who is leading the National Hockey League club in points with two goals and seven assists in his eight games, absorbed a shot Thursday against the Washington Capitals and suffered a contusion.
His right foot was wrapped in an ice bag Sunday but not a supportive air cast.
This is also good news.
It has only been a short study, but the long-term potential of Boeser to become much more than just a Calder Trophy consideration — he’s tied for fourth in rookie scoring — was evident Thursday.
His three-assist performance in a 6-2 drubbing, and ability to make his alignment with Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi supersede cautious productivity production, is why a day-to-day recovery prognosis for the 20-year-old is encouraging.
“It (foot) is just not where we want it to be yet and he wasn’t ready to skate today,” said Canucks coach Travis Green. “We know that there’s nothing long-term.”
In the short-term, that might make him unavailable Wednesday against the New Jersey Devils and even Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins if the Canucks want to be cautious with their prize winger.
Boeser’s game awareness and even-strength Corsi of 50.3 per cent suggests that everything he’s already shown with strength on the puck and ability to make tough passes in short spaces is a vital part of what makes his line click.
“Obviously, having Brock out is not the best case and it’s going to hurt a bit, but hopefully he’s back within the week,” said Horvat. “He’s off to a great start and does all the little things, especially defensively, and he has the scoring touch.
“Everybody sees him as a shooter (23 shots), and most of his assists have come from getting pucks to the net for Sven and me. And we’ve been going there to find loose pucks.
“For him to be able to do that and bring extra offence, it certainly helps his case.”
In Green’s world that means continuing to be good with and without the puck. And in Boeser’s absence, the coach believes there’s sufficient versatility among his forwards in facing the Dallas Stars on Monday. He slotted Sam Gagner with Horvat and Baertschi at practice and allowed the recalled Jayson Megna — who he lauded for superior speed — to line up with Alexander Burmistrov and Thomas Vanek.
Markus Granlund also replaced Boeser on the second power play unit in practice and there’s always the temptation to slot Jake Virtanen with the suspect first unit. It was the second alignment that struck three times against the Capitals while the first unit made some puck-movement progress but has yet to be effective.
That’s what makes Virtanen intriguing.
There’s a growing maturity and symmetry with Henrik and Daniel Sedin. There’s an imposing physical presence that would be a benefit down low. And there’s that heavy release, especially as a rightshot option. It would add another dimension to a unit that doesn’t possess a true sniper.
The Stars have the secondranked penalty kill and throwing them a new wrinkle would at least lessen power play plodding and predictability.
Virtanen’s ice time has been handed out like Halloween candy by a wary parent — some is good, too much is bad — and the winger isn’t going to gorge on ample minutes for obvious reasons. An attentive Virtanen is a good Virtanen and ice time that has been as low as 7:06 and as high as 14:24, usually hovers around the 10-minute mark by design.
“With Jake, we need to make sure he’s a complete player game in and game out,” said Green. “I don’t want him having two good shifts and one bad. And I want to make sure his focus doesn’t shift. I have thrown him out a couple power plays, but I’m not in a rush to get too far down the road with any player. I like the way he’s progressing on that line and we have a lot of guys who can play on the power play.
“I want Jake to be that power forward we talk about and hopefully the special-teams stuff comes.”
Gagner has but three assists in 10 games and the hope is that the 28-year-old veteran uses his centre as well as Boeser used his linemates as an effective three-zone player.
“Brock is a big part of our team,” said Gagner, who can play all three forward positions. “He has a nose for the net and he’s really calm in those areas. And with that shot he’s pretty lethal from any area.
“That line is playing well and playing big minutes and any time you get a chance you have to take advantage of it and I’m going to be ready for it.”
Said Horvat of Gagner: “He’s more of a playmaker and to have that veteran presence who plays well at both end of the rink is going to help a lot.”
It (foot) is just not where we want it to be yet and he wasn’t ready to skate today. We know that there’s nothing longterm.