For most of the Vancouver Canucks, the 2023-24 season ended with a tough 3-2 loss in Game 7 against the Edmonton Oilers. But the end of the season was even worse for Brock Boeser, who could only sit and watch that final game after developing blood clots in the veins of his leg.
“I’m crushed,” said Boeser at the end-of-season press conference. “I wish I could have been out there with the guys. In a one-goal game, I’m sitting there and saying, ‘I could have scored.’ You don’t know what would have happened if I played.
“I would have done anything to be out there. I asked if I could play and tried to push them, but the risks were too big. I had to protect my future and you don’t want health issues moving forward.”
“I was on blood thinners for a few months”
Thankfully, Boeser is now confident in his long-term health after that scare. He’s particularly fortunate in that he’s not only healthy but also that recovering from his blood clotting issue had minimal impact on his offseason training.
“I was on blood thinners for a few months during the summer,” said Boeser. “I could still skate and stuff but I had to be careful, just contact-wise. But I’ve been off of them for a little bit now and I’ve gotten to start doing contact towards the end of the offseason.”
Boeser was still able to be active and training while on the blood thinners medication but he did have to be aware of the risks. The purpose of blood thinners is to reduce clotting but clotting is also one of the most important things that blood does in the body. A significant injury while on blood thinners can cause uncontrolled bleeding without proper care.
“You've just got to be careful of cutting yourself or hitting your head,” said Boeser, “so that's why I had to kind of take it easy for a bit in the summer.”
The blood clot scare also adds one more thing for Boeser to be aware of in terms of his ongoing health. His back injury in his rookie year threw Boeser right into the deep end of staying on top of his health, as he had to create a list of exercises and routines that he now does before every practice and game.
Since one blood clot can put you at high risk of having another, Boeser has added a couple of new tasks to his regular routine and will be taking extra precautions to avoid it happening again.
“When we travel, you've got to be safe on flights and make sure you're moving around and not sleeping and stuff,” said Boeser. “I’ve been told to walk around, compression, maybe throw on those Normatecs or whatever it is.”
When Boeser references “Normatecs,” he likely means the compression boots created by Normatec that use air compression to essentially massage the legs to stimulate circulation, among other benefits. They’re commonly used by elite athletes in both injury recovery and injury prevention. For Boeser, it could be a preventative measure to keep the blood flowing in his legs to avoid potential clots.
It’s also a contract year for Boeser and he knows that he’ll need to show that his health won’t be an ongoing concern, even as he’s willing to let the contract negotiations play out over time.
“Obviously, coming off a blood clot, I think I've got a lot to prove, just kind of dealing with that little setback,” said Boeser. “I'm just focused on having a great camp again, like I did last year, and trying to have a fast start to the season again.”
“We should have that swagger, that confidence going into the season.”
For Boeser, the blood clots and the preventative measures he’ll be taking to avoid them are all in the background now — just part of the routine to keep his body in elite condition. What he’s really focused on is how the team is going to take the next steps after breaking through to the playoffs last season.
“I think we all feel within the organization, we could have won that game seven, and could have been moving on,” said Boeser. “So I think it should just make you that much more hungry.”
The success of last season has raised expectations for the Canucks heading into the 2024-25 season but Boeser welcomed that pressure, calling it “a good thing.”
“I think we should have that swagger, that confidence going into the season,” he said. “It’s really exciting for me.”
Boeser will have a little bit more help on the wings this season after the Canucks went shopping in free agency and he was quick to praise their compete level and hard work in the team’s player-organized skates ahead of training camp.
“I think it’s a great vibe right now,” he said. “I think we’re gonna have a tremendous team. I think we set that standard and the expectation last year and now we have to build off it.”
