Hockey Inside Out Games, News and Opinions | Montreal Gazette
- Advertisement 2Stories continue below
"Gutted for Boeser": Hockey world reacts to Brock Boeser missing Game 7 due to blood clotting issues
News that top-line Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser will miss Game 7 due to blood clotting issues hit the hockey world hard on Sunday. The story was first reported by Vancouver hockey commentator Irfaan Gaffar. Boeser is Vancouver’s leading scorer with seven goals and 12 points in 12 games in the 2024 playoffs. He was playing on the top line with J.T. Miller and Pius Suter. Here is some of the reaction in Vancouver, Edmonton and around the NHL: Vancouver sports commentator Irfaan Gaffar@irfgaffar Brock Boeser will not be available for the Canucks in game seven on Monday. If they advance, his status moving forward is unclear… Yes, it’s a blood clotting issue. Again, this is not career or life-threatening, thankfully. They are going to take it slow and see how Brock progresses. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser is expected to miss Game 7 against Edmonton with a blood clotting issue. The exact timeline for his return is unknown, but several sources stressed this, thankfully, is not considered a life-threatening situation. Vancouver hockey writer Daniel Wagner @passittobulis Devastating news for Brock Boeser and the Canucks. All that matters now is Boeser’s long-term health. The Cult of Hockey’s Kurt Leavins @KurtLeavins Never want to see this, no matter who you cheer for. Hoping for a full recovery for Boeser. Vancouver fan Rob Sampare Brotchie @canucker101 Get well Canucks Brock Boeser. Oilers fan Lynn Mercereau @lynnmercereau This is bigger than hockey Sports gambling analyst Rachel Doerrie @racheldoerrie Gutted for Boeser. He’s been through so much the past few years. Loved watching him have the fantastic bounce back this season. Hockey doesn’t matter in these moments. Just hoping Brock gets healthy 🙏🏻⭐️🥦🚀 I can’t believe this needs to be said, but it does: the nature of Boeser’s blood clot is no one’s business and we don’t need to add ;vaccine conspiracy theories’ to the nuclear toxic wasteland that is Canucks/Oilers Twitter right now. Hope for a speedy recovery & leave it there. Canucks fan Alece Anderson @AleceAnderson I’m so sad for him… it’s just one thing after the other. Hope he’s gonna be ok ❤️ Daniel Wagner @passittobulis Win it for Boeser. Sportsent commentator Randip Janda @RandipJanda Awful news on the Brock Boeser front. Luckily it’s not life threatening, but scary nonetheless. Wishing him a speedy recovery and return to full health. Rinkwide Vancouver commentator Jeff Paterson @patersonjeff If ever a player could have played the ‘getting treatment’ card instead of talking to media after a tough loss it was Brock Boeser last night. To his credit, he showed up, answered pointed questions, owned his performance — and today we learned he’s out for Game 7 with blood clot. Oilers fan Reese Campbell @LarisseAtalie As an Oilers fan – I wish Boeser nothing but the best as he navigates his health stuff. When he first came to the YVR, he lived in a hotel I managed (all the young Canucks did)& he and his family were nothing but kind and warm to the hotel staff. This was rare and so appreciated. Sportsnet radio play-by-play announcer Brendan Batchelor @BatchHockey You just have to feel awful for Brock Boeser. He’s overcome so much adversity and had such a tremendous season. Hoping for a speedy and full recovery for him. Just a brutal blow to have this happen right now. Vancouver sports commentator Brendan Kobliuk JABO Vancouver Playoffs are about heroes. Some heroes you see coming, and others you would never have expected. Hopefully there are guys in that dressing room who are looking at Brock Boeser’s absence as their opportunity to step up and be that hero. This team will need it. Oilers fan Brock W. Harrison @BrockWHarrison Yikes. As much as I want the Oilers to win, and as much as Boeser has dominated them at times this series, you never ever want to see this. Edmonton Journal hockey writer Jim Matheson @jimmathesonnhl Brock Boeser is a helluva player and scorer. Been a big-time playoff threat for Canucks. Blood-clotting issues are serious stuff. Wish him the best Sportsnet commentator Iain MacIntyre @imacSportsnet Got to feel awful for Brock. Longest-tenured Canuck, who emerged better and stronger after two years of anguish…. It’s like the hockey gods convened a special meeting. They were not happy. They were like, “You mean, the Canucks might still win this thing with their third-string goalie?! What else can we do? Brock Boeser!” TSN reporter Farhan Lalji Big loss for #Canucks leading playoff goal scorer. Even if the team makes it through game 7 it doesn’t sound like Boeser’s return would be imminent. The team’s playoff mantra has been, “Resilient.” That would have been put to the test Monday night regardless, now even more so. Canucks fan Trent Leith @trentl14 You’ve gotta be kidding me. Brock Boeser finally reached his potential as a 40+ goal scorer, is tied for fourth in playoffs scoring with 7 goals in 12 games. Then he has to leave the series right before a crucial game seven at home. This poor guy can’t catch a break. #Canucks OIlers fan X-JESSE @97OrangeCrush29 🙏 speedy recovery to Brock Boeser. All the best. – Oil Country The Hockey Spotlight @nhlspotlight Oilers twitter has not disappointed at the news of the Boeser news. I respect every one of you who’ve came out in support for him. Canucks fan 𝕐 – 𝔾𝕞𝕒𝕟✨ @NotoriousGman88 No Boeser. No Demko. If the Canucks pull if off, that would be MASSIVE! The Cult of Hockey’s David Staples @dstaples Brock Boeser damn impressive this series, both shooting the puck but also defending. Reminded me of Jari Kurri now and then… Wishing him well in recovery from blood clotting issue. Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch (asked what it’s like to lose a top player suddenly ): It’s amazing when you lose a player like that — obviously you look at your line-up is weaker just without a top player. I’ve seen it numerous times. — but it’s amazing how guys steps up. Everyone steps up and collectively. Sometimes you’re just a beter team. In the long term it’s not a recipe for success, but short term, you look what happened at the Boston series losing (Brad( Marchand (to injury)(. Yeah, we got to be ready…We have to anticipate a team that is going to be really stepping up their game.
- Advertisement 3Stories continue below
5 THINGS: Edmonton Oilers set for Game 7 showdown vs. Canucks
Don’t muck this up. Everyone’s watching. And it’s anyone’s game at this point. After putting together their best effort of the playoffs, and finally looking every bit like their stacked roster oozing elite offensive talent backed by solid defence and reliable goaltending suggests, the Edmonton Oilers forced a Game 7 showdown against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. The winner moves on to face the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference final, while the loser packs up their stalls and leaves the rink lamenting the one that got away and trying to avoid thinking, “There’s always next year.” Here are five factors to consider going into the big game: 1. A series of swings Saturday’s game was the first in the series that wasn’t separated by a single goal. The Oilers displayed a dominance they had been lacking since jumping out to a 4-1 lead midway through the opening game — one they somehow ended up losing 5-4 after surrendering four unanswered goals. After that, it’s been back and forth, with Edmonton keeping pace with the Canucks in back-and-forth fashion, and both teams doing just enough to win their piece of the pattern. Right up until Game 6, that is. The 5-1 score was the Oilers’ biggest margin of victory since defeating the Los Angeles Kings 6-1 in Game 3 of their first-round series on April 26, which also happens to be the last time Edmonton won by more than a goal until Saturday’s game. Just as long as they didn’t use up all their offence in that one. 2. Skinner back in there If you were looking for a redemption game by Stuart Skinner, you got one. Sure, he faced only 15 shots. But it’s not like he could do anything about that, other than make 14 saves for a .933 save percentage. And that’s barrels more than the .793 percentage he limped off the ice with after allowing 12 goals on 58 shots in his first three starts of the series, before being replaced by backup Calvin Pickard. And just like the Oilers did when Pickard came in, Skinner’s return to duty provided a much needed spark for the ones playing in front of him, leading to a win in both games the starting goaltender was changed. If nothing else, Skinner’s playoff performances here in his first two NHL seasons have shown he can’t simply be ridden the entire race, and is at his best with some built-in rest. It’s how the Oilers went on their incredible 16-game win streak to salvage a horrendous start to the season, and will be the way to go if they want to make it 16 more here in the playoffs. But first things first, they need to get win No. 8 on Monday. 3. Solving Silovs At the other end of the ice, the Oilers may have come up with the blueprint on how to beat Arturs Silovs. The 23-year-old Latvian netminder has been doing the yeoman’s work in the playoffs for the Canucks since being called up from the farm in the wake of injuries to Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith. This round, his legs have proven tough to beat, as he gets up and down and side to side with an efficiency belying any lack of experience. And while the Oilers have managed to find the five hole from time to time, it was the glove that let him down most on Saturday. 4. Shots, shots, shots, shots, shots … Evan Bouchard has stood out in this series unlike any other. And on a roster boasting the league’s top-two scoring leaders in the playoffs, Leon Draisaitl (eight goals, 15 assists) and Connor McDavid (two goals, 19 assists), that’s not always the easiest thing to do. The thing is, Bouchard is doing it. The defenceman is keeping pace with the potent pair, offensively, coming in at third overall with 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in 11 games. He’s scored two game-winners so far in the series, both on blasts from the blue line, and earned another with a nail in the proverbial coffin to go ahead 3-1 midway through Game 6. What he’s been doing is putting shots on net, and the rest of the team is starting to follow suit, abandoning constant attempts at perfect passes around the net and carefully crafted set plays, in favour of just putting pucks on. The strategy is proving as sound as it is simple. Why abandon it now? 5. Enjoy this one In sports, winning and losing are two sides of the same coin. And it’s the price of being a fan. The good times for some must come at the expense of others. But instead of just flipping coin after coin and recording whether it comes up heads or tails, it’s important at a time like this to pause for a moment and consider how this one comes down to the final two Canadian clubs in contention for the Stanley Cup, which hasn’t made its way north in over 30 years. But let’s face it, the short-term bragging rights for one city are every bit as important as anything right now. E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com On Twitter: @GerryModdejonge Related Game 6 rout doesn't mean Edmonton Oilers have solved Canuck riddle Oilers notebook: Holloway channels McDavid to put Canucks on their heels
- Advertisement 4Stories continue below
- Advertisement 5Stories continue below
NHL notes: Paul Maurice and Florida Panthers head to Big Apple for Round 3 of NHL playoffs
Wayne Gretzky was still active for the Rangers the last time New York met the Florida Panthers in a playoff series. That was about the only memorable part for the Cats who lost that 1997 duel to the Rangers in five games. Florida coach Paul Maurice was trying to study as much as he could about his Eastern Conference final opponent the morning after dispatching the Boston Bruins, with a few days to prep for Game 1 Wednesday in Manhattan. The experience factor is the Cats’ corner with a trip to the Stanley Cup final last year and now two rounds through this spring. But the Rangers finished first overall, splitting two late-season games against the Panthers. “You’ve watched (New York beating Washington and Carolina) in between our games and see they’re very fast, very talented team, very dynamic off of the rush,” Maurice said Saturday. “They’ve got all the (key) spots, the goaltending, four at the back end very strong and the forwards are very skilled. We have to go a little longer, maybe more detailed on the video.” Maurice’s team is halfway back to another shot at the Cup. He credited his leadership group for not bringing any negativity into training camp. “They came back more determined, or they felt they were closer and had that belief when they came back. They haven’t been tired. We had three really important pieces of our lineup (forward Sam Bennett and defencemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour) out at the start, so we had to play well defensively. We battled hard and got some consistency,” One coaching quirk involving Maurice and New York’s Peter Laviolette, they both coached the Carolina Hurricanes and replaced each other in the early 2000s. Laviolette won the Cup in 2006 with the Canes in place of Maurice after Maurice, who git as far as the ’02 final, then Maurice in a second stint, bumped Laviolette. SELKE LOVE FOR SASHA It would have been quite the feat for Toronto’s Auston Matthews to lead the NHL with 69 goals and be named its best defensive forward as winner of the Frank Selke Trophy. Voters from the Professional Hockey Writers Association thought enough of Matthews’ shot blocking, takeaways and faceoff prowess to make him a finalist, but gave the award to Aleksander Barkov of the Panthers in a Saturday night announcement. Carolinas Barkov, a three-time nominee and first Panther to get the honour, assisted Florida in tying for first in the league in goals-against per game (2.41), the lowest mark in club history. He took a team-leading 1,100 draws with a winning percentage of 57.3%, ninth among players to play at least 50 games and take at least 500 face-offs. Carolina’s Jordan Staal was the other finalist. CHIEF AND THE CAPTAIN Maple Leafs captain John Tavares will now have to get used to his third coach in six years in Toronto with Carig Berube’s appointment. “Obviously very difficult so see (Sheldon Keefe) go,” Tavares told reporters Saturday in Prague where he’s wearing the ‘C’ for Canada at the world championships. “As players, it’s on us to do a better job. With Craig coming in he’s going to help us with that. I’m excited to work with him. He’s got a tremendous pedigree.” More information about who Berube might have as his Toronto assistants could come out Tuesday when he’s officially introduced. One member of his St. Louis staff from the 2019 Stanley Cup year, Mike van Ryn, is already working in Toronto. Steve Ott, his other primary assistant on the Blues, stayed put and is now with Team Canada as an assistant. Guy Boucher, Dean Chynoweth and Manny Malhotra are the other assistants who worked with Keefe. TEAM USA LIKES MIKE Canada and the other hockey powers now know which coach of a well-known foe they’ll face at the Four Nations Face-off next year and in the 2026 Olympics in Italy. USA Hockey announced Saturday that Mike Sullivan, two-time champion behind the bench of the Pittsburgh Penguins, will get the gig. Sullivan’s two Cups in 2016 and ’17 are part of an 11–year record of 445-275-115 and he was an assistant for the Americans in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Canada has named its management staff for the Four Nations, to be played in February in Canada and the U.S. with Finland and Sweden as a replacement for the all-star game, but not its coach. Berube will quickly command the respect factor needed to lift Leafs Craig Berube's past Stanley Cup success won't necessarily result in championship for Maple Leafs lhornby@postmedia.com X: @sunhornby
- Advertisement 6Stories continue below