Canucks Give “Blunt” Challenge To Brock Boeser Ahead of Season

Elliotte Friedman was talking about Brock Boeser‘s situation in Vancouver, where the Canucks forward is playing in a contract year and looking to secure himself a sizeable contract extension. The NHL insider noted during the most recent 32 Thoughts podcast that the Canucks have taken an interesting approach to motivating Boeser, saying GM Patrik Allvin has sent a “blunt challenge” ahead of the season.

Friedman said he is learning that Allvin is not afraid to be blunt with his players and challenge them. Boeser has been challenged this season and the quote to Boeser was apparently, “Give us another level and we’re going to take care of you.”

Now the challenge is on Boeser to go to the next level and the belief is he will respond to it very well. Friedman said the Canucks wouldn’t do this if they didn’t think Boeser was up to it. The risk of giving that quote to a media member in a Canadian market is risky with all the eyes on the player and his looming extension. Friedman suggested the best players like to be challenged and he predicted Boeser will have a huge year.

Can Boeser Rise to the Canucks Challenge?

To say Boeser needs to take a huge jump would be a stretch. He scored 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games for the team in 2023-24. But, if he wants to make the big money and get a long-term extension, he needs to show he can do it again, even take another step.

If Boeser can score 40 and get 45 assists, that puts him at a higher than a point-per-game pace and that’s going to be worth something on the open market because he put up big numbers twice. He has struggled with injuries and personal issues so staying healthy will also be a big part of the upcoming campaign. Should everything fall his way, at 27 years old, he could be one of the big-ticket free agents of this coming offseason.

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