Boeser All-Star MVP performance says plenty for Canucks forward

TAMPA --Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser had a simple plan for the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game at Amalie Arena on Sunday.

"Smile, have fun and play hockey," Boeser said. "That's what I did and I enjoyed all of it."
The plan may have been simple, but the result was stunning.
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Boeser, 20, was named MVP after scoring two goals and getting an assist in two games of the 3-on-3 tournament for the Pacific Division, which won the event.
Boeser scored the winning goal in the 5-2 semifinal victory against the Central Division, then had a goal and an assist in the final, a 5-2 win against the Atlantic Division.
"If people weren't aware of him, they should be now," Los Angeles Kings center and Pacific teammate Anze Kopitar said.

Boeser did not seek attention during the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend. He was positioned in the corner of the Pacific dressing room with Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau on one side. Vegas Golden Knights forward James Neal was on the other side, but separated by a door leading into the trainer's room.
Boeser, less than a year removed from his sophomore season at the University of North Dakota, said he introduced himself to his teammates and shook hands with them, but then tried to slip into the shadows, watching and learning from his more famous peers, some of them idols of his.
"He's a pretty humble, honest kid," Neal said. "He's pretty quiet."
The quietest guy in the room, according to Pacific coach Gerard Gallant of the Golden Knights.
"He sat in the corner there," Gallant said. "The players talked to him a little bit, but he was pretty quiet. The way he plays he won't be quiet in a few years."

He wasn't quiet when it came to showcasing his shot, which has drawn notice around the NHL this season. Boeser was not a leading candidate for the Calder Trophy when the season started, but with a rookie-best 24 goals in 46 games, he is widely considered the front-runner.
On Saturday, he participated in the Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting event during the 2018 GEICO NHL All-Star Skills Competition.
New Jersey Devils forward Brian Boyle was the leader with a time of 11.626 seconds when Boeser stepped to the pile of pucks. To win, he needed to hit five targets from 25 feet away in less time than it took Boyle.
Boeser said his palms were sweaty and the spotlight made him nervous. Still, he hit the five targets on eight shots in 11.136 seconds.
"He's got a very good shot," Kopitar said. "I wish I had it."

That shot was on display Sunday in the first game, as he walked into the slot and lifted a wrist shot off the post and past Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who was at the front of the crease to take away as much of the net as possible. The goal gave the Pacific Division a 3-2 lead.
"That was an unbelievable shot, but that is what he has done all year," said Gallant. "That's what he does.
"He's one of those natural goal-scorers. He plays a complete game and he works hard. It's not like he is just standing there shooting pucks. He works hard and gets his space, but his shot is an elite NHL shot."
He scored again and assisted on Gaudreau's goal in the championship game, and when it was over, he had the MVP award, a 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, which he said he might give to his sister, his share of the $1 million prize for winning the All-Star Game and another $25,000 for winning the accuracy shooting.
He also had unforgettable memories and a much higher profile heading back to Vancouver.
"I had a really fun time tonight," Boeser said, "and I would have never dreamt of this at any time in my life."