The Vancouver Canucks have been dealt a considerable blow on the health front, as they've announced that leading goal-scoring forward Brock Boeser won't be back any time soon thanks to the effects of a dirty hit he took from Los Angeles Kings forward Tanner Jeannot last week.
Boeser was struck in the head by Jeannot as he cut through the neutral zone; Boeser immediately fell to the ice in obvious distress, while Jeannot was handed a match penalty and ejected from the game. He's since been suspended for three games by the NHL Department of Player Safety.
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet indicated that he's spoken to Boeser and that he's not feeling great but also not horrible, via NHL.com.
“I talked to him briefly,” Tocchet said of Boeser. “Doesn't feel great, but I wouldn't say it's horrible, so I think he's indefinite right now. These things can change [in] a week or 24 hours. I don't know.”
“He is very underrated how good he is defensively, really good in the neutral zone, makes a lot of plays for us,” said forward Conor Garland. “One of our best players and it's a big loss, so hopefully we can just have some guys step up while he's out getting better.”
In Boeser's absence, the Canucks have summoned Jonathan Lekkerimaki was recalled from Abbotsford of the American Hockey League, who could make his NHL debut when the Canucks host the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.
Boeser is the second major injury the Canucks are dealing with, as starting goaltender Thatcher Demko remains on the shelf.
Brock Boeser is coming off a career-best season for the Canucks
Not only did Boeser score a career-high 40 goals last season for the Cancuks, but he was their leading goal scorer so far this season with six goals.
Unfortunately, his season came to a close last year at the worst possible time, ahead of Vancouver's Game 7 matchup against the Edmonton Oilers in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs; the Oilers squeaked out a one-goal victory to send the Canucks home while they advanced to the Conference Final.
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