LATEST | Failed trade sending Brock Boeser to the Pittsburgh emerges: Catastrophy avoided

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Felip Gosselin
December 19, 2023 (8:38 PM)

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The 2022-2023 season was filled with unexpected turns of events, fiascos and especially trade talks. Patrik Allin and Jim Rutherford hadn't been in place for long, and they had big plans for the franchise, but they needed to move, and it was clear that nobody was safe from a trade.

BOESER: FROM WANTING OUT TO LEAGUE LEADING SCORER

One player who was involved in just about every rumour there was the sharpshooting winger Brock Boeser. When his agent was permitted to talk to other teams in hopes of facilitating a trade, everybody thought this was it for Boeser in Vancouver. However, the change in the coaching staff changed the tide for the 26-year-old.

Days before last year's deadline, the Canucks and the Penguins were deep into trade talks and Boeser was in the middle of it all. The deal ultimately fell through because they wanted a player with more term on his contract, and it's a good thing it did. The return was nowhere near what you could hope for a potential (soon-to-be) 30-goalscorer:

February 28th, 2023:
The Vancouver Canucks were considering a re-tool after another disappointing season. After months of trade talk and multiple down seasons, Brock Boeser was on the verge of being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. While it isn't fully public, reports of the deal got down to:

To Pittsburgh:
� Brock Boeser (retained)

To Vancouver:
� Marcus Pettersson
� Pierre-Olivier Joseph
� Maybe some picks?

Ultimately the deal didn't happen and one of the major reports was that Pittsburgh wanted someone with some more term. The next day they ended up getting Markus Granlund.

The rest is history, Boeser eventually admitted he wanted to remain in Vancouver and see how the team's new direction and look at that. Boeser showed up to camp filled with confidence and is now amongst the league leaders in goals with 23 through 32.