Brutal update on Brock Boeser’s future in Vancouver by top insider

We’ve heard rumours about top forward Brock Boeser before, but the latest chatter coming from Nick Kypreos has gotten several Vancouver Canucks’s fans worried.

Kypreos put a list together on Sportsnet, with which players he believes could be traded in the coming months, leading to the March deadline. he included Boeser in the list, explaining how the high salary demands, tight cap and the looming of free agency this summer are all getting in the way:

“Vancouver, eyeing to compete for a Stanley Cup with a core locked in of Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes, have a tough decision to make on Brock Boeser. He led the team with 40 goals last season, but will he continue on as part of this core?

"With Jake Guentzel pushing the value of UFA scoring wingers up, Boeser is looking for eight years, north of $8 million AAV range, and Vancouver isn’t yet prepared to pay him what his projected value is. If no contract extension is on the way, the idea of losing him for nothing in free agency isn’t all that appealing either. Canucks management isn’t one to sit around and have been rather busy traders in recent seasons. Until an extension is signed, Boeser will be a trade candidate to watch this season.”

For now, Boeser has a $6.65 million salary cap hit, and let’s not forget that, despite his career best season last year, he is currently on pace for 26 goals in 75 games…

In 20 contests with the Canucks, so far, Boeser has registered seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points. Kypreos could be right that “Vancouver isn’t yet prepared to pay him what his projected value is” and it could explain why we haven’t heard about negotiating at this time.

Boeser could therefore land on the trade block closer to the trade deadline in March, though the Canucks could look to hold on to the top forward especially if they remain in the playoff picture.

This one will be interesting to follow.