In the second of our five-part series examining attainable milestones for key Canucks next season, we look at Brock Boeser’s ascension as he closes in on a couple of significant marks on both an individual basis and in Canucks franchise history:
Brock Boeser
Among active Vancouver Canucks, no one has played more games for the organization than Brock Boeser. The 2015 first round draft pick has appeared in 479 games over seven full seasons and at some point before Christmas the 27-year-old will become just the 27th skater — and 28th player — in franchise history to reach the 500-game milestone. And if Boeser appears in all 82 games for the Canucks next season, he will climb past Brendan Morrison into 22nd spot on the all-time list.
Coming off the best statistical season of his career, Boeser is working his way up the ranks of all-time franchise scorers. With 179 goals and 384 points, the Burnsville, MN native has steadily carved out his spot in the franchise record book.
Boeser needs 21 goals to reach the 200 mark. He starts the season tied with Greg Adams for 14th on the all-time list. If he gets to 200, he’ll be just the ninth player in franchise history to accomplish that feat. If Boeser scores 23 goals, he’ll move past his friend and former teammate Bo Horvat into eighth on the all-time list.
As Boeser showed last season, there is more to his game than putting the puck in the net. With 205 career assists, he is 25th on the all-time franchise list and needs 16 helpers to move into the 20.
Overall, Boeser has 384 points in his career which has him tied with Alex Burrows for 18th in franchise scoring to start the season. But it won’t be long before he overtakes many of the players ahead of him on the list. Boeser needs 36 points to match the 420 Horvat produced over his time in Vancouver. As it stands now, Horvat holds down 10th spot in franchise history, however he won’t be there for long. Both Elias Pettersson (412) and JT Miller (402) are closing in quickly on the former captain’s point total. So by the time Boeser reaches Horvat’s total, it will no longer represent 10th place in the Canucks record book.
As the season unfolds, Boeser will work his way up the franchise mark for power play goals. With 64 in his career – including 16 last season – Boeser sits 10th on the team’s all-time list and needs just five to tie Pavel Bure for seventh spot. A world exists in which Boeser replicates last season’s success with the man-advantage. If he scores 16 again next season, he will move past Todd Bertuzzi into solo fifth all-time.
There’s a pretty solid chance that some of those power play goals will be game-winners, too. In that category, Boeser is tied for 11th in franchise history with 25 career game-winning goals. He needs one more to break out of a tie with JT Miller, Bo Horvat and Ryan Kesler and to match Thomas Gradin for 10th in franchise history – unless Miller gets there first.
As far as the playoffs go, Boeser is tied with Horvat for 13th in post-season goals as a Canuck with 11. With 23 points, he shares 23rd spot in franchise history in playoff scoring along with Murray Craven. Boeser needs three post-season points to leapfrog Brendan Morrison and Kevin Bieksa into the all-time top 20.
Key marks for Brock Boeser next season:
21 games for 500 in the NHL and with the Canucks
21 goals for 200 in the NHL
16 points for 400 in the NHL
