With his contract soon to expire on July 1, Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser is projected to test the free agent market. Vancouver has made attempts to either trade or re-sign him, but both options never came to fruition, and Boeser will look to start a new chapter of his career in a different market. He has 31 options for where he could go once free agency opens, but there are a few specific teams that I think could use a player of his calibre and are also good destinations for him and his family.
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild have come up regarding Boeser’s future on several occasions, mainly because he is from the State of Hockey. Growing up in Burnsville, Minnesota, which is close to a 20-minute drive south of Minneapolis, it is safe to say that Boeser has some ties to the state. Having grown up in Minnesota, he has ties to the Wild and the community. It would be a great homecoming story for him if he decided to sign with the Wild and got a chance to come back home to his childhood team and help them go far in the playoffs.
Boeser would also help the Wild tremendously. Minnesota has had several years of trouble getting over the hump in the playoffs as they have lost in Round 1 or the qualifying round eight of the last 10 years. The team has not been able to advance to the second round of the playoffs since 2015. Adding Boeser to their lineup will help bolster the team’s right wing and help them score more goals on the power play and also at even strength. The Wild have a lot of money to spend in free agency with the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts coming off their books, I think spending it on Boeser would be a good investment for their team.
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are in a difficult spot; they clearly want to be competitive and start making pushes for the Stanley Cup, but still haven’t made the playoffs since 2016. A good reason why they haven’t been able to make the playoffs in so many years is their lack of scoring. They have great offensive players like Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond, and Alex DeBrincat, but their production has not been enough for them to compete with the top teams in the loaded Atlantic Division. Bringing in Boeser will help them compete with those teams.
Boeser has been a productive goal scorer his entire career and has put up consistent numbers with the Canucks. He’s scored 20 or more goals in all but two of his eight full seasons, and was counted on mightily for Vancouver in all offensive situations. If the Red Wings are looking to add more goal scoring to their team to help make the playoffs once again, they need to consider signing Boeser because he will get 20 or more goals, especially if he plays with some of Detroit’s best players. Adding a 20-goal scorer to your team will always help your chances of winning games.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs require a player like Boeser right now because they are most likely going to lose Mitch Marner to unrestricted free agency (UFA), as he and the Maple Leafs cannot agree on a new contract. With the departure of Marner, there is a right-wing slot open on Auston Matthews’ wing for whoever wants to take it. A player like Boeser would be perfect for that spot because of his goal-scoring ability. Though Matthews is the goal scorer on his line, as he has two 60-goal seasons under his belt, having two scoring threats on your top line, along with someone like Matthew Knies, who can crash the net and pick up the rebound, will help Toronto immensely.
Making up for Marner’s production will be hard since he just recorded over 100 points, but the Maple Leafs are looking to make up for his point totals by committee and not just by one player. Boeser, if signed by Toronto, will be a major part of helping make up for the production that Marner will be leaving behind as he leaves for his new team.
Boeser is a truly gifted player who will have many suitors come July 1. But these three teams, I feel, give him the best opportunity to produce offensively and the best chance to win hockey games.
-1750210906-q80.webp "Browns Trade Proposal Sends QB Shedeur Sanders to Jets for Multiple Picks")
