Injuries and ailments that have stricken the Canucks spark plug reminiscent of those that Saku Koivu endured during his time in Montreal.
Author of the article:
Jack Todd • Special to Montreal Gazette
Published May 20, 2024 • 4 minute read
![Jack Todd: Canadiens fans can relate to Brock Boeser's bad injury luck (1) Jack Todd: Canadiens fans can relate to Brock Boeser's bad injury luck (1)](https://i0.wp.com/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/montrealgazette/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/cp171282422.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=288&h=216&sig=BmwqCQ8PYOk_RAlA9O7OAA)
When the news of Brock Boeser’s latest misfortune hit over the weekend, I was reminded of what my father used to say every time another piece of rusty farm machinery broke down:
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Jack Todd: Canadiens fans can relate to Brock Boeser's bad injury luck Back to video
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
“If I had any luck at all, it’d be bad luck.”
Article content
It’s true of Boeser, the Canucks hard-luck winger, whose perpetually rotten luck has struck at the worst possible time, with a reported blood clot issue that was expected to keep him out of Vancouver’s Game 7 Monday night against the Edmonton Oilers.
Advertisem*nt 2
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
There with you then. Here with you now. As a critical part of the community for over 245 years,The Gazette continues to deliver trusted English-language news and coverage on issues that matter. Subscribe now to receive:
- Unlimited online access to our award-winning journalism including thought-provoking columns by Allison Hanes, Josh Freed and Bill Brownstein.
- Opportunity to engage with our commenting community and learn from fellow readers in a moderated forum.
- Unlimited online access to the Montreal Gazette and National Post, including the New York Times Crossword, and 14 more news sites with one account
- Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
- Montreal Gazette ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, where you can share and comment..
SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
There with you then. Here with you now. As a critical part of the community for over 245 years,The Gazette continues to deliver trusted English-language news and coverage on issues that matter. Subscribe now to receive:
- Unlimited online access to our award-winning journalism including thought-provoking columns by Allison Hanes, Josh Freed and Bill Brownstein.
- Opportunity to engage with our commenting community and learn from fellow readers in a moderated forum.
- Unlimited online access to the Montreal Gazette and National Post, including the New York Times Crossword, and 14 more news sites with one account
- Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.
- Montreal Gazette ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, where you can share and comment..
REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES
There with you then. Here with you now. As a critical part of the community for over 245 years,The Gazette continues to deliver trusted English-language news and coverage on issues that matter. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
- Access articles from across Canada with one account.
- Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.
- Enjoy additional articles per month.
- Get email updates from your favourite authors.
Sign In or Create an Account
or
View more offers
Article content
Since coming into the league in 2017, Boeser has had a pretty much unbroken string of catastrophes and outright tragedy that might have felled a lesser spirit. To the Canadiens faithful, Boeser’s misfortunes are reminiscent of
Saku Koivu’s career, which was sailing along beautifully until he tore up a knee in Chicago early in the 1996-97 season, the first of a string of injuries, illness and sheer rotten luck that would last through most of the plucky captain’s career.
Boeser also shares some qualities with
Vancouver native Brendan Gallagher. Both are considered the heart and soul of their team, both have endured a long string of hard-luck injuries. In Boeser’s case, a freak injury in his rookie season may have prevented him from winning the Calder Trophy. Boeser missed a hit on Cal Clutterbuck, went through an open gate and suffered a spinal injury that cost him the balance of the season.
Mercifully, reports suggest the blood clot that was slated to keep Boeser out of Game 7 isn’t life-threatening. (Nor is it related to the fact he’s vaccinated — clots are fairly common in hockey because of the pounding the legs take from 100-m.p.h. slapshots, among other things.)
Road to the Cup
The Montreal Canadiens fan's source for exclusive Habs content, insight and analysis.
By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
Article content
Advertisem*nt 3
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
It’s a reminder, however, of the significant role luck plays in any sport, especially at playoff time. In the NBA, the New York Knicks this spring had as gutsy a playoff run as you will see, led by point guard Jalen Brunson. Player after player went down, but they hung in until the last quarter against the Indiana Pacers, when Brunson himself suffered a broken hand.
The Canucks, already missing star goaltender Thatcher Demko, must now find a way to win without Boeser, who has seven goals and five assists thus far in the playoffs. You wouldn’t want to write them off — they’ve been a resilient team under head coach Rick Tocchet. But a tough task just became a whole lot tougher without Boeser.
For fans of a rebuilding team like the Canadiens, the playoffs have been difficult viewing. The Leafs with all their offensive firepower couldn’t survive the first round; Boston couldn’t make it through the second round and the high-flying Colorado Avalanche (my pick to win it all) succumbed to the powerful Dallas Stars.
Point is, it ain’t easy to win a Stanley Cup. The team that prevails in the Vancouver-Edmonton tilt will be only halfway to the goal, with Dallas and either the Rangers or Florida standing in the way. You can do everything right but in the end you’re going to need a big assist from Lady Luck.
Advertisem*nt 4
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Hanging Chad:After he was handed a nine-game suspension for violating the CFL’s policy on gender-based violence, toxic Toronto quarterback Chad Kelly put out a statement that was a 10 out of 10 on the gag scale.
Kelly announced that
he was “withdrawing” from Argos campafter his presence out of uniform at rookie camp was a scandal in itself. (The
same is true of the Alouettes’ Shawn Lemon, who was handed a gambling-related suspension — but the gambling stance of the CFL and all other leagues is so hypocritical that I’m inclined to cut Lemon some slack.)
Kelly’s statement (most probably concocted by his agent and team and league PR officers acting together) fell back on the repugnant “this isn’t me” defence, which is now standard for miscreant athletes and celebrities.
“This isn’t me,” my sweet patootie. Kelly isn’t Scottie Scheffler, who had an unblemished public record until he decided that police orders don’t apply to star golfers. Kelly has an unbroken record of bad behaviour going back to high school. When football factories like the Clemson Tigers and Denver Broncos tell a talented quarterback to pack his bags, he’s toxic.
Advertisem*nt 5
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Within 15 minutes of the moment when a female strength coach reported details of Kelly’s alleged sexual harassment to Argos’ staff, Kelly should have been an ex-Argo.
The CFL, unfortunately, never learns.
Laugh of the week:Ross Atkins, GM of the Toronto Blue Jays, telling fans of the struggling team they need to be patient.
Atkins was named GM on Dec. 3, 2015.
Heroes:Artemi Panarin, Brock Boeser, Juraj Slafkovsky, Kaiden Guhle, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, Jim Otto, Jalen Brunson, Marie-Philip Poulin, Erin Ambrose, Aerin Frankel, Maggie Mac Neil, Penny Oleksiak &&&& last but not least, Summer McIntosh.
Zeros:Harrison Butker, the goalie interference rule, the Toronto War Room, Chad Kelly, Pinball Clemons, John Murphy, Randy Ambrosie, Mark Shapiro, Ross Atkins, Bo Bichette, Bud Selig Jr., Claude Brochu, David Samson &&&& last but not least, Jeffrey Loria.
Now and forever.
Related
- Jack Todd: Bob Cole's voice intertwined with Canada's hockey history
- Jack Todd: A palpable sense of anticipation surrounds the Canadiens
- Jack Todd: Bettman's NHL tenure has been disastrous for Canadian teams
Advertisem*nt 6
Story continues below
This advertisem*nt has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Create an AccountSign in
Join the Conversation
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.
Trending
- Habs Mailbag: Canadiens have plenty of options with their defencemen
- Former Canadien Chris Nilan gets married in Hawaii
- FTQ union refuses to sign new contracts with Quebec, citing discrepancies
- Alouettes jump out of gate with exhibition victory against Toronto
- Robert Libman: What the PQ's pro-independence ads don't say
Read Next
This Week in Flyers