Boeser - best player in the NHL ?

Is Connor McDavid more talented than Brock Boeser?

Ya, probably.

Is he a better player than Brock Boeser?

No. Not even close.

There's a difference between pure talent and being a good hockey player.

There's always been highly talented players in the NHL who make zero impact on the game.

Connor McDavid is one of those guys.

From the time former Canucks Alexander Mogilny entered the NHL to the time he left the NHL Mogilny was the most talented player in the NHL. Not even close. If he felt like playing - he could dominate any game at any time. Period.

But did Mogilny make any team better? Did he make those around him better?

No.

The difference between a great player and a tremendous talent is the difference between McDavid and Boeser.

Before Boeser got healthy - the Canucks were a .250 hockey team. And that's not an exaggeration. Go look. That's true.

After he gets healthy? - .650 + hockey team.

You're talking about one player taking a team that was 31st in the NHL and turning it into a legitimate playoff contender - and a team that may, MAY, do something in the playoffs if they make it - aka Chicago Blackhawks arriving.

McDavid healthy has done diddly squat in Edmonton. He has almost no impact whatsoever.

Boeser is the best player in the NHL besides Alexander Ovechkin. But if you're talking Hart Trophies - I think there's no contest - it's Boeser's trophy. He makes more impact to his team than anyone else in the NHL.

BUT - here's the but - Boeser has to keep playing at this pace to get in the argument for the Hart Trophy and Ovechkin has to slow down.

But even if he doesn't get the Hart Trophy - I'd argue Boeser is the best player in the NHL.

Boeser is just one of those guys who has an impact on a team like no other.

Boeser follows a long line of these players but one we haven't seen in some time. Maurice Richard in Montreal. Guy Lafleur in Montreal. Mike Bossy in New York - impact wingers.

When these rare wingers come in - they hit with a bang. I've always said you take the center over the winger -- unless you get a Bossy, Richard or Lafleur.

This year Boeser took a team that was dead in the water - with a rookie center who was dying DYING on the ice - and he grabbed them all by the scruff and said, "Ok guys, let's go."

There's something about this Boeser that is different from mere mortals.

You see these people in life and whatever walk of life they're in -- they're natural leaders.

Quiet, calm, terrific at their jobs, and the nicest people you'll ever meet with a desire to be the best without being jerks. That's damned near impossible to do.

That's Boeser. He gives the Canucks a legitimacy that they didn't have until he arrived.

None of the Canucks players, and that includes Horvat or Pettersson or Virtanen, actually thought they could win each night.

Boeser walks into the dressing room, says, "Hey guys" and now they believe they can't lose.

It's like that.

Think of McDavid. He walks into the Edmonton Oilers room, he says, "hey guys" they say, ya whatever. Zero impact.

But then there's Boeser.

Wingers that can do that for a team are rare birds. Usually it's a center. Even the tremendous Alexander Ovechkin didn't make that impact until his 30s.

Boeser did it at 22.

It reminds one of the time that a young Jonathon Teows took a Chicago Blackhawks team from zero to Stanley Cup.

No one thought Teows was the most talented player in the NHL - but was there any doubt that he was the best player in the NHL? No. None. And that's what Boeser is like. He gives the entire team a realization that, holy cow, we've got a guy - and we can win in the league - and we can win a lot. We can do this. Natural leader.

What is it about Boeser that just makes him that natural leader?

A) He's really good at hockey.

B) He's just a man. Period. Off the ice, on the ice, there's something about the guy that makes you want to be around him. He's humble. He's kind. And he's incredibly good at this job - which he does without complaint.

Boeser did the same thing at College North Dakota.
Can you even name the 2 guys that Boeser played with?
One is in Edmonton - Drake Cagullia ? spelling? who cares. No seriously, who cares?

His center from North Dakota was Nick Schmaltz, Schmalts, a Chicago Blackhawk, traded to Arizona, has 6 goals this year... so he's still in the league.

But look at the comparison - with Boeser - Schmaltz and Cagoolie were drooled over prospects with everyone saying how they were propping up Boeser.

And now there's Boeser... and two guys barely hanging on until the Seattle Totem expansion draft.

Remember the dork who won the Calder Trophy last year?
It was Matthew Barzal.

Remember I said - Eastern NHL media idiots - don't do it! Don't vote Barzal over Boeser for Calder - Barzal has Tavares - Boeser has no one...

Well they did it. They gave Barzal the Calder... he has 4 goals this year and is also working his way to the Seattle expansion draft, trying to hang on to a job.

Barzal over Boeser may go down as the stupidest Calder Trophy decision since Stastny over Gretzky.

Stastny was good... but ummm, Wayne Freaking Gretzky.

Anyways I digress.

What I'm saying is that Boeser shows up - you're an authentic, honest to goodness NHL team. No sophomore slump. Are you kidding?

Remember last year when Boeser died a bit down the stretch? Schedule was a bit long for him.
What does he do?

He comes back to the team AFTER a back surgery AND wrist surgery and looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Dude is shredded.

Boeser makes Horvat look small. Horvat's not a small dude. Boeser could probably bench press Connor McDavid about 20 times per set.

It's not about the quickness on the ice - it's about the quickness of the mind.
Boeser recognized a problem - strength and stamina down the stretch last year, he analyzed it, he just rolled his sleeves up, got to work. And now he's ready.

That's what separates Boeser, Bossy, Lafleur from a McDavid. They don't need to go 100 mph - they slow it down, they see the ice - they make plays, hockey plays, and they make it look easy.

They see the problem - they fix the problem.

And because they do it so gracefully, so easily, it inspires the rest of the team.

Boeser has a quiet way about him that exudes confidence. The team gravitates to him. He's got an easy disarming smile that makes you think, man, things are going to be okay.

And then, most importantly, he goes onto the ice - and makes it happen. He puts a wrist shot THROUGH a goaltender, grins shyly on his way back to the bench.

I know, I'm gushing. It's true. He's just such a great kid. But he's a tremendous hockey player. We might be seeing the best player to ever play for the Canucks - and that would be quite a feat to be better than Ryan Kesler or Todd Bertuzzi - but he's making the argument.

If there was one thing this country should risk war with the United States for - it's this one - claim Boeser as Canadian. Kidnap him. And if the USA raises a stink - grab your guns, load up.

He's one worth fighting for. He's the real deal.

Whatever "it" is - he's got "it".

IF - IF - Boeser gets this Canucks team into the playoffs - he deserves Hart Trophy votes.

Will he win? Well, if Ovechkin gets 50 goals in 50 games - hard to argue with that.

But it won't do the NHL any disservice to have this young man at the All-Star game and finishing second for the Hart Trophy and serving notice that his name will be on it real soon.


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