Drafted 23rd overall in the 2015 NHL entry draft, Brock Boeser has been a household name for Canucks fans since making his debut in 2017. He leads the franchise in goals since making the jump to the pro’s and has been a leader both on and off the ice. With the somewhat bumpy path the Canucks have been on this season and his contract set to expire this coming summer, we may be seeing the curtain call for our favourite Brockstar.
Heading into the last of a 3 year, almost 20 million dollar contract Boeser put up 40 goals and over 73 points for a career best season in 2024, setting high expectations for himself heading into this season. However unlike last season things haven’t been smooth sailing for him or the team. The Canucks are currently 26-18-11 just barely above the playoff line, a stark contrast from last season’s success. If we reverse the clock 12 months the team was amidst the top of the league and you could hear cries to resign the winger ringing throughout the streets. Winning silences noise and there was little noise around Boeser’s potential departure when the club was on top, This season however is rapidly approaching the March 7th trade deadline and the team is going to be forced to make a decision on what they want to do with the almost 28 year old winger. Reports have surfaced that Boeser’s camp is looking for north of 8 million dollars per season on an 8 year term. The Canucks are more than capable of meeting this with an expected almost 30 million in cap space this summer. With the salary cap projections for the next 3 seasons now made public, an 8 by 8 contract for Boeser would put him right around where he’s at now in terms of cap percentage just two years from now. What the decision really comes down to is if the club see’s the long term fit for their top goal scorer.
https://x.com/Canucks/status/1880087378389545398
Boeser has a history of injuries as well as dry spells and that might be something Vancouver has to consider when looking at a contract extension. Just two years ago Boeser had a career worst season notching only 18 goals along with 55 points with a minus twenty while getting near top line minutes. A statline like this is not something you want to gamble 8 million on. There’s a market right now for proven goalscorers like Boeser who despite being streaky have shown they can produce consistently at a high level. Boeser also led the team in goals during the playoffs last season and that’s arguably more important to look at when deciding on a player’s future with the team. He;s not the fastest winger but he’s a smart hockey player and he thrives at finding open ice, making him an invaluable asset to pair with a playdriver such as… Elias Pettersson. The two found great success in their earlier years in the league, although having seen little ice time up until recently with Brock being glued to the former Canuck JT Miller’s side over the past few seasons. It’s also important to mention that Boeser hasn’t had the easiest past few years in his personal life with the unfortunate passing of his father Duke who was a beloved member of the Canuck family.
If Brock Boeser is a proficient goal scorer, a smart player, and a leader on the team why trade him?
The truthful answer is it really depends on what the offers on the table for Brock Boeser are. It’s a fast changing league and around this time team’s are always looking for the extra piece to bolster their roster and put them over the edge to contend for the Stanley Cup. We’ve seen similar profiling players like Thomas Hertl be moved at just last year’s trade deadline. Because teams are desperate they tend to overextend themselves when trying to gear up for the post season and pay more than they should for a player. A good example of this is when Tampa traded almost their entire draft for a depth guy in Tanner Jeannot a couple seasons ago. If someone like Jeannot can get a return like that, it’s hard to imagine there isn’t a desperate team that Vancouver could pray on to pull off a robbery on for Brock Boeser. Don’t forget that cap space is in itself a major asset. We’ve seen that in recent weeks as when the organization traded JT Miller for a decent haul, they also gained 8 million in cap space that could be used this July. Players like Mikko Rantanen and Mitch Marner are set to expire for the July 1st free agent frenzy. As good as Boeser is, players like Marner and Rantanen are on an entirely different level.
https://x.com/DonnieandDhali/status/1887580271492632902
With every passing day it feels increasingly more likely that Boeser won’t be a Canuck this time next year. If you’re Vancouver general manager Patrick Allvin you cannot let a player of Boeser’s calibre walk for nothing. Brock Boeser leaving for nothing would be a monumental failure on the part of management as he’s been one of the cornerstone players for this franchise and you can’t let players like that leave without an asset in return. This gives the Canucks essentially a little under a month to make a decision on what they’d like to do, however recent reports have said that the Canucks aren’t close on a contract.
It’s time to get real on if the Canucks should trade the American winger.
Although he’s been a major part of this franchise for the better part of a decade it’s important to evaluate what he is. Is he a consistent goal scorer? Yes. Does he make this team better on a daily basis? Yes. But he’s also a powerplay specialist and ultimately in the grand scheme of things a very good complimentary player. You could even go as far to say that he is one of the elite. He’s also aging and Canucks management has to look at the very real possibility that just three years into this contract he could be a discount on Temu Ovechkin. He’s already not the fastest skater and isn’t as consistent 5 on 5 as he is with the extra man, he puts up decent defensive results but this team needs to look to the future and not at trying to preserve the past. It’s likely we’ve seen Boeser’s best days last season, although he has shown that he can do it multiple times, there’s always been something that’s stopped him whether it’s a drought or an injury and that’s a lot to gamble when trying to build a cup contender.
Brock Boeser is a fan favourite and there’s no doubt that moving on from him would be a sad day in Vancouver, but the team needs to take a very real look at their future and what they need going forward. As great as his time here has been, the low’s are something that can’t be repeated going forward with a core that’s shifting into their prime Vancouver needs to decide whether or not to resign the Brockstar or if moving on is in their best interest.