Boeser 'on a mission' for Canucks entering Qualifiers

Brock Boeser said he was "on a mission" during the pause following an up-and-down season and is looking forward to getting back on the ice with the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers.

"I was coming back on a mission. I really put in the work when I was home," the right wing said Tuesday. "I'm noticing a difference right now. I feel confident out there. The shot's feeling good."

Boeser missed 12 games late in the season because of a rib injury before returning to the lineup March 10, two days before the NHL season was paused due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. He finished the regular season with 16 goals in 57 games after scoring at least 26 in each of his previous two seasons, and shot an NHL career-worst 9.5 percent.

But he will have the opportunity to put that behind him when the Canucks (36-27-6, .565 points percentage), the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, play the No. 10 seed, the Minnesota Wild (35-27-7, .558), beginning Aug. 2 in one of four best-of-5 series to be held at Rogers Place in Edmonton, the Western hub city.

The winner of the series will advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the loser will have a chance at the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft in the Second Phase of the NHL Draft Lottery, to be held Aug. 10.

"This year wasn't a great year," Boeser said. "I had trouble finding the back of the net. [I was] sitting at home (during the pause) thinking about the opportunity to redeem myself."

Boeser played frequently with left wing Tanner Pearson and center Bo Horvat on the second line this season and even saw time in the bottom six at some points after playing with center Elias Pettersson in 2018-19.

But at training camp Tuesday, Boeser was reunited with Pettersson on the top line and said he tried a stick with a bigger curve for the first time since peewee hockey. While Boeser and Pearson moved up to play with Pettersson, center Adam Gaudette, at least temporarily, took Horvat's spot in the top six and skated with wings J.T. Miller and Tyler Toffoli.

"I have good chemistry with [Pettersson]," Boeser said. "He's more of a playmaker. I read off guys like that really well. … I think [the line changes] give our team different looks. We're a pretty deep team, and any line can score. It was definitely a fresh start today. We'll see if they keep them for tomorrow or not."

Coach Travis Green said it was the first time he's changed the lines in training camp.

"It kind of wakes everyone up a little bit with a change of pace," Green said. "I think that (Pettersson-Boeser) line had some chemistry last year as well. I think they like playing together and work extremely hard.

"I don't think it matters who anyone plays with. Good players are good players. [Boeser] can complement [Pettersson], he can complement [Horvat]. The better player he becomes, the more of a driver he is on a line."

Pettersson, who was roommates with Boeser on the road last season as a rookie, had success with Miller and Toffoli, who was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings on Feb. 17, prior to the pause but said he was excited to reunite with Boeser.

"All the practices and scrimmages, he's been looking really good," Pettersson said. "He looks fast and more comfortable. Way more composed and more poised in his game."

Despite Boeser never having played in an NHL postseason game, Green said the forward is going to have to be productive for the Canucks to win the Qualifier series and advance to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

"If we have a good playoff, win this round and move on, and have another good series, [Boeser] is going to be a part of it," Green said. "He's a better player now than he was when he left and he was last season. I'm not going put extra pressure on him to score goals, I just want him to play his best, and so far, he looks like he's on track for that."