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:
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.)
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