Boeser’s on pace to score more rookie goals than Mario Lemieux

Brock Boeser scored again on Monday night.

Ho hum.

The 20-year-old Canucks rookie is scoring with such regularity to start his NHL career, fans are starting to get used to it.

One part of the first Canucks No. 1 line not featuring the name “Sedin” in over a decade, Boeser’s been a bright light for his team this season. Now, with linemeates Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi each gone for up to six weeks with injuries, the job was supposed to get tougher.

No problem for the Flow, who has three goals in three games since Horvat’s injury.

He scored the lone goal of the night in a disappointing 5-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, doing so on a brand new top line with Henrik and Daniel Sedin. Doesn’t seem to matter who the Burnsville, Minnesota native is playing with, he just scores goals.

It’s just what he does.

With 16 goals this season, Boeser is just one goal away from the halfway mark of Pavel Bure’s rookie goal scoring franchise record (34). He’s on pace to beat the Russian Rocket’s record, and in fewer games too (Bure started his rookie season late and only played 65 games).

If Boeser keeps this up and stays healthy (both will be a challenge for Boeser, particularly coming from the NCAA where they play fewer games), he should hold every significant Canucks rookie record by the end of the season.

But as impressive as his totals compare to Canucks records, it’s how he compares to other great rookies in NHL history that should excite you.

Counting the nine games Boeser played with Vancouver at the end of last season, he’s with some elite company in the first 37 games of his career.

Most Goals in First 37 Career Games Since Start of 2005-06:#Caps Ovechkin – 24#Leafs Matthews – 20#Canucks Boeser – 20
Petr Prucha – 20#Pens Malkin – 19#NHLJets Laine – 19#Pens Crosby – 19

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) December 12, 2017

Only Alex Ovechkin (24 goals) has more goals to start his career since the 2004-05 lockout. Boeser is tied with Auston Matthews (20), who I’ll remind you, scored four goals in his first-ever game.

Boeser has more goals through 37 games than the likes of Sidney Crosby (19), Evgeni Malkin (19), and Patrik Laine (19). Also, Petr Prucha (WTF, I know).

-Connor Mcdavid had 16 goals in 45 games in his rookie year
-Brock Boeser has 16 goals in 28 games so far in his rookie year

Stop with the Boeser>Matthews tweets, it's Boeser>Mcdavid now

— Sbisa Pizza (@_tristanwatts71) December 12, 2017

Connor McDavid, if you’re wondering, had a measly 13 goals in his first 37 games.

The Canucks rookie is on pace for 46 goals this year, which would eclipse everyone but Ovechkin since 2005. That total would be the fifth-best all-time, surpassing the likes of Luc Robitaille (45), Dale Hawerchuk (45), and Mario Lemieux (43) – all of whom accomplished the feat in the high-scoring 1980s.

If you’d like an update on the Calder Trophy race, Boeser is still the class of the group.

He leads Alex DeBrincat (Chicago) by two goals, and is tied with Mathew Barzal (NY Islanders) in points. He’s also at the top of the list in points per game, power play goals, power play points, and game-winning goals.

Boeser was snubbed from the All-Star ballot, but he’s virtually guaranteed to be Vancouver’s representative this season. Boeser holds an eight-point lead on Horvat for first in Canucks scoring. Baertschi is third, trailing by 10 points. By the time those two return to the lineup, Boeser should have an even bigger lead.

See also