A potential contract extension for Brock Boeser is on Jim Benning's to-do list for next week.
"We haven’t got down to talking term," Benning told
Ben Kuzma of The Province on Tuesday about his discussions last month with Boeser's agent, Ben Hankinson. "We plan to circle back and I’m not sure where it’s going to go, but we want to see if we can get somewhere. There’s no time frame on it.
"Brock is going to see the best matchup line and best defensive pair," Benning added, "but I don’t expect a drop-off. He has pushed himself hard to pick up where he left off and there are other contracts coming up in the league in the next six months that could drive up the price — I understand that part of it.
"But it has to make sense for everybody."
As of Thursday morning, Da Beauty League hasn't finished updating its website yet with the results of Wednesday's final night of regular-season play. Boeser generated his usual collection of highlights as his Team Bic beat Walser 7-6 to secure second place in the league standings going into next week's playoffs.
Boeser talked about his summer hockey experience on TSN1040 on Wednesday:
He said he has had no setbacks since returning to the ice after rehabbing his back and wrist injuries, and that it'll be up to the young guys on the Canucks to try to fill the void that will be left by the absence of Daniel and Henrik Sedin this season.
Boeser says he's not yet thinking about his next contract.
A couple of weeks ago, TSN's advanced stats guru (and one-timer HockeyBuzzer) Travis Yost posted
this article, which identifies the players that are most statistically comparable to Boeser under his methodology.
Number one on his list: Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets.
The other player that comes up as a close comparable to both Laine and Boeser is Alex DeBrincat of the Chicago Blackhawks, who posted 28-24-52 in 82 games as a rookie last season. He turned 20 last December.
Laine, of course, already has 80 goals and 134 points through 155 NHL games over two seasons, and doesn't turn 21 till next April. Boeser's 21st birthday came in February, just before his season-ending injury. He has 33-27-60 in 71 NHL games so far.
DeBrincat still has two years left on his entry-level contract. Like Boeser, Laine is eligible for an extension as of now, but says he's not worried about when the deal gets done.
"It's not something we need to hurry because I still have a contract," Laine told
Tom Gulitti of NHL.com during this week's European Player Media Tour in Stockholm. "But obviously that's something I want to do at some point and they want to do. But there's no rush."
"I really don't care," added the perpetually laid-back Laine. "There's no rush, really. I can do it next summer or this summer. I don't mind."
"I’m pretty convinced Boeser, one year in, is going to be a major impact player in the NHL," writes Yost. "It’s awfully difficult to have that level of production in a rookie season (on a bad team), and these seasons tend to be very indicative of future performance. His statistical comparables last season only strengthen my confidence."
It's a bit scary to think that Laine's next deal could be one of the "contracts coming up in the league in the next six months that could drive up the price" that Benning referenced.
Kuzma has also posted quick hits on
Olli Juolevi and
Brenda Leipsic this week.
“He’s on schedule,” Benning told Kuzma about Juolevi, who has undergone offseason back surgery. “He has been working out and will be ready for training camp. We expect him to come to put his best foot forward. We’ll see where he’s at and go from there.”
Kuzma speculates that if Elias Pettersson can stick at centre when the new season begins, we could see him flanked by Sven Baertschi and Loui Eriksson, leaving a possible hole for Leipsic or Nikolay Goldobin on a line with Bo Horvat and Boeser.
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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