How Canucks’ Boeser learned the art of the tip to add to growing arsenal
Brock Boeser was asked to name the NHL’S top-three tippers.
Not the tip following a great meal on a night out, but that deft touch to turn positioning, strength and blade angle into down-low goals that are difficult to execute.
“I would say (Zach) Hyman, obviously, (Chris) Kreider and (Joe) Pavelski,” the Vancouver Canucks right-winger offered Monday as his list, based on past history and current conversions.
Heading into play on Monday, Kreider was first with 11 tipped goals, Hyman has seven and Pavelski six.
Boeser has eight and is in a four-way tie for second with Sam Reinhart, Mikko Rantanen and Valeri Nichushkin. Boeser seemed somewhat surprised by his ranking, and that shouldn’t be surprising.
In a season of refocus and redemption, his career-high 36 goals speak to finding new ways to be effective. Those days of hanging out on the perimeter to unload long bombs are long gone. Dirty work gets it done today.
“You continue to see where a lot of these guys score from and it’s within five feet of the net,” stressed Boeser. “That’s what the coaches have talked about and I’ve tried to get my mindset to parking my rear end in front of the net and creating stuff.”
It’s harder than it looks. Gaining position is one thing. Then there’s the blade. Sidney Crosby’s low centre of gravity make him difficult to dislodge at the side of the net, and that has led to seven tipped goals, while Nils Hoglander’s willingness to get to the crease and stay there have resulted in six.
“Kreider is good at it and Crosby is up there for sure,” acknowledged Boeser. “I started seeing it with (Tomas) Vanek when he played for Minnesota and I was young. I wouldn’t say I’m as good as these guys at tips, but it’s making sure you don’t get pushed out of that net-front area.
“Just try to hide your stick until you can present it. I think I’m a pretty strong guy and feel when I park myself in front, I’m hard to move. I have to make sure I’m really engaged. It’s that hunger to score.”
Boeser’s eight tipped goals, plus five on the backhand, speak to where the game has gone. He’s now as good without the puck as he can be with it — quicker and stronger on the backcheck and back pressure into the defensive zone — and that’s imperative to contribute when goals aren’t coming.
“In stretches where I haven’t scored, I really think of where I am and where I’m going to score,” he added. “I talk to the coaches and they’ve shown me where I need to be to score. At times, when I’m not getting good chances, it’s just because I want the puck.
“But I creep maybe to the outside in the offensive zone and you don’t score from out there. Sometimes you do but rarely. It’s more getting inside.”
Boeser is also tied for third in the NHL with 15 power play goals. He leads his club with shots (181) and is third in shooting percentage (19.9). However, the power play that has always packed more potential than finish is 2-for-13 in that last six games.
The Canucks often overthink and over-pass with the man advantage because that go-to move of J.T. Miller finding Boeser in the bumper position is often taken away.
“It’s a tough play, but that’s the whole point,” added Boeser. “If they want to overplay me in the bumper, then someone else should be open. We should be able to create another play or opportunity off that.
“And if they adjust, something else will be open.”
Canucks coach Rick Tocchet considered Boeser a bit of a project last season. He saw a player with a tremendous upside, who would benefit from elite conditioning to help form a more complete game.
“That was his mindset and he worked on it last summer,” said Tocchet. “And he’s getting into those (scoring) areas.”