Report: Brock Boeser unavailable for Canucks in Game 7 due to blood clotting

It goes without saying that losing Brock Boeser is a massive loss for the Canucks ahead of Monday’s series-deciding game with the Oilers. The guy has been an Edmonton killer throughout his career, and this second-round series was no different. Boeser was dangerous on a nightly basis and had already tagged the Oilers with some big goals.

As much as Boeser’s absence will be a major loss for Vancouver, the more significant point is that this is a health issue that could keep him out beyond this current run, and the team will understandably prioritize his long-term health.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman added further details on Boeser in a short post after Gaffer broke the news:

“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. It’s a big loss for the Canucks, as Boeser is having an excellent season.”

Boeser led the Canucks with 40 goals over 81 games during the 2023-24 regular season, and is currently Vancouver’s goalscoring leader in the playoffs too. In 12 games played, Boeser has registered seven goals and five assists for 12 points during the playoffs. In the six games played versus the Oilers, Boeser has three goals and three goals and five points.

The 27-year-old forward has appeared in 479 career games throughout his NHL career, registering 179 goals and 205 assists. Looking ahead to 2024-25, the Burnsville, Minnesota native is heading into the final year of his three-year, $19.9 million contract, which he signed in July 2022.

WHO WILL PLAY IN BOESER’S SPOT?

Based on the Canucks’ current depth chart — if I’m understanding it correctly, of course — there are three likely options to take Boeser’s spot in the lineup. The first option would be Ilya Mikheyev, provided that he’s ready to return from an undisclosed injury that has kept him out of the last two games. The second is Sam Lafferty, who has been a healthy scratch in the previous two games after being relatively ineffective in the first four games of the series. Lastly, there’s Linus Karlsson, who was part of Vancouver’s Black Ace recalls earlier this month and has since played in a pair of games where he’s averaged just under 10 minutes with a bunch of zeroes on his stat line.

In the end, we’ll have to wait and see what Rick Tocchet does tomorrow at morning skate before finding out for sure who will be tasked with eating up some of Boeser’s minutes, but there’s little doubt this loss is a devastating blow. At the time same time, from a human standpoint, I can’t help but feel for a guy who just can’t seem to get a break after dealing with so much on and off the ice over the past few years. Here’s hoping Boeser can have a full and speedy recovery because the NHL is always better with more skilled players on the ice.

BROCK BOESER’S 2023-24 SEASON