Blood clots among NHL players are not uncommon and some have had recurring incidents.
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Brock Boeser wasn’t just missing from the Vancouver Canucks’ lineup for Game 7 Monday against Edmonton Oilersreport suggests his NHL season could be in jeopardy.
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A blood clotting problem could affect healing time. Boeser’s agent, Ben Hankinson, declined to comment on his client’s condition Monday, but the Canucks expressed a collective feeling that they will manage while the winger progresses.
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“Brock obviously had a great year for us and he’s an important part of the team,” Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said of the 40-goal winger. It’s a tough question, but it’s the next man up. I don’t want to get hurt right now.
“I found out yesterday (Sunday) and he’s going to be evaluated again, so I don’t have a time frame.”
Tyler Myers was more optimistic about Boeser’s prospect of progress.
“Brock is a great person and we have been very close over the last five years,” said the defender. “No matter the hockey side, great guy in the room who we’ll definitely miss.” You rally around him and support him. He will be fine and we will help him along the way.
Canucks report
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Irfaan Gaffar first announced that the Canucks star would be sidelined. His post on X was followed by an article from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman who said Boeser’s planned absence was due to a blood clotting issue. Friedman said sources told him the issue “was not considered a life-threatening situation.”
Boeser is tied with JT Miller for the team lead in playoff points. He has seven goals and five assists in the playoffs this spring, including a hat trick in Game 4 against the Nashville Predators in the first round.
He spent 18 minutes and 40 seconds on the ice during Vancouver’s 5-1 loss to Edmonton in Game 6 on Saturday, and appeared injury-free when he spoke to reporters after the game.
Boeser did not practice with the Canucks on Sunday.
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Blood clots among NHL players are not uncommon and some have had recurring incidents. Blood can pool in areas where shots are blocked or can be caused by an injury, especially to the legs.
Dr. Brian Conway is President and Chief Medical Officer of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Center
and a Canucks season ticket holder.
“It’s difficult to comment without knowing a lot more detail,” Dr. Conway told Postmedia on Sunday about Boeser’s blood clotting problem. “But, in general terms, what can happen is if you have an injury to an arm or a leg, legs being more common and swelling around that area, that would cause a clot to form blood in a vein.
“And once that happens, the risk is that a clot will break off and travel to the central part of the body and cause a clot in the lungs. And that’s potentially life-threatening. This is called a pulmonary embolism.
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Flying can also contribute to blood clotting, as the Canucks regularly charter to game venues.
“Absolutely,” Dr. Conway said. “What happens is blood builds up in your legs, and as it builds up, it may not return to the heart in the normal, usual way. The leg swells, a blood clot forms in the leg. And once that happens, there’s a risk of it spreading, rupturing, and spreading to the lungs.
“That’s what worries you the most.”
The best-of-seven series is tied 3-3 and the winner of Monday’s game will face the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference final, which begins Thursday in Texas.
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— with a file from The Canadian Press
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