The work ethic born on the family farm has helped Boone Jenner go plenty of places.
It first took the Dorchester, Ontario, native to the other side of Toronto to play major junior hockey in Oshawa. It’s earned him the opportunity to play for Team Canada, where he’s represented his home country around the world at both the World Juniors and the World Championships.
And it’s made him an icon in Columbus, where he’s helped rewrite the Blue Jackets record book as the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (692) as well as a top-three player in goals (183) and points (347).
Now, finally, in his 11th season in the NHL, he’s come full circle. Jenner has been chosen as an NHL All-Star for the first time thanks to a hot start to the season, and this year’s event is being held in Toronto, the closest NHL city to the farm.
Suffice it to say when Jenner called home to deliver the news, the level of excitement was off the charts.
“It’s hard to put into words,” his mother, Terri, said. “I was pretty emotional when he called and told me. I think he was a little emotional as well. It’s pretty hard to put into words. It’s very surreal. It’s just a pinch-me moment for all of us.”
As a result, not only will Jenner and his wife, Maggie, be at the event, but there will be plenty of other Jenners as well. Terri said she and Jenner’s father, Matt, will be along for the ride, as well as family members ranging from brothers to aunts and uncles to cousins.
Boone himself said he is expecting around 20 close family members and friends in Toronto, while Terri said her phone has been buzzing off the hook from plenty of others who plan to show up as well. It’s a busy weekend for players, from NHL-sponsored events like tonight's player draft, Friday’s skills competition and Saturday’s game itself to hangouts with fellow All-Stars.
But at the end of the day, Jenner will find time to spend with the family members who helped him get to the highest level.
“That’s what it’s all about,” Boone said. “When you get to do something like this, you want to share it with the people who have supported you all the way through and got you to where you are. That’s the most important thing for me, is having them there and sharing this with them. It’s a cool experience for all of us, not just me. I wouldn’t be there without all of them."
Perhaps most importantly, Jenner is a deserving participant at age 30, as plenty of current and former teammates would attest. Jenner became the Blue Jackets captain at the start of the 2021-22 season and has stepped up his production in the three seasons since; after scoring at a 16-goal pace per 82 games in five seasons from 2016-17 to 2021-21, he’s averaged 32 goals per 82 games in the past three years.
After posting 26 goals last season in 68 games, his second-best season production-wise at the NHL level, he notched 13 tallies in the first 29 games of this season before being hit in the face with a puck at the netfront in early December, resulting in a fractured jaw and a nearly six-week layoff. Jenner has returned for the past six games with a plastic bubble shield on his face, a testament to the dedication and tenacity for which he’s been known in his career.
The strong start to the season put him firmly in the mix to be the Blue Jackets’ All-Star, and his return from injury came in time for him to head to Toronto.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “I never thought that would be happening in my career. It’s pretty special to represent the Blue Jackets there. I’m just really looking forward to it. I’ll have a lot of people there. It will be a great weekend. It’s a moment to celebrate with them, and it’s just an honor for me to be selected.
“I was shocked. I’m obviously very honored to go up there and be a part of it.”
In some ways, it will be a return to Jenner’s childhood, as the family made a few trips to Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena when he was a kid to watch Maple Leafs games. Located in southwestern Ontario just outside of London, Dorchester isn't much further away from Buffalo or Detroit than Toronto, but it’s firmly Maple Leafs country.
Not all of Dorchester will be at the All-Star festivities, but it just might feel like it this weekend.
“Everybody is really pumped about it,” Terri said. “It’s quite an exceptional honor and opportunity for Boone. The fact that it’s in Toronto, which is kind of our backyard – it’s less than two hours away from us to attend – I've received numerous texts from friends and family members that already have tickets, and lots of congratulatory texts as well.
“We’re proud of Boone and the honor that it brings. I know he’s really honored to represent his team at this event.”
