Offseason questions loom for Pearson, Boeser after tough, injury stricken year

VANCOUVER – The Tanner Pearson Injury Story is a long way from being finished. Sadly, no one can say the same thing about the player’s National Hockey League career.

There are a tonne of gaps in the story to fill in. But Pearson made it clear to reporters on Saturday that the broken hand he suffered Nov. 9, the injury that teammate Quinn Hughes later said “wasn’t handled properly” by the Vancouver Canucks’ medical staff, has jeopardized his career.

There is no guarantee the 30-year-old winger will play again after breaking his hand during a 5-2 road loss against the Montreal Canadiens last fall.

“I’m just trying to get my hand back,” Pearson, in his first media availability since the injury, said Saturday during locker-cleanout day for the Canucks. “I’m just trying to go home and be a dad and be with my kids (and) be able to play at the moment. It sucks, but yeah.”

Earlier, he said: “It’s a slow process. I’ll deal with (the future) with what happens. But right now, it’s just a slow thing and I just need to. . . think about it day by day and not to get too ahead of myself.”

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Pearson’s injury and subsequent initial surgery was supposed to keep him out 4-6 weeks. Two months later, the Canucks announced he was done for the season. That was the day, Jan. 12, that Hughes dropped his bombshell about Pearson’s treatment when asked after a 5-4 loss in Tampa about his teammate.

By then, Pearson had undergone at least two additional medical procedures and was battling a serious infection to his hand.

Canucks president Jim Rutherford, saying he had been unaware of any issues regarding Pearson’s treatment until Hughes spoke out, announced the next day in South Florida that he was opening an investigation into the player’s medical care.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that the NHL Players’ Association had become involved, possibly the precursor to an official grievance under terms of the union’s Collective Bargaining Agreement with the league. Details, including any compensation, are not disclosed under this CBA mechanism.

The issue raised obvious questions about the Canucks’ medical team, rebuilt last summer by Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin. It became another major talking point in a season in which unprecedented drama on and off the ice engulfed the organization and eventually sunk the Canucks after a dreadful start that exposed the dysfunction between management and former coach Bruce Boudreau.

Much of the drama ended when Rick Tocchet replaced Boudreau on Jan. 22 and began to change priorities and culture for players. But Rutherford and Allvin must review their medical staff and procedures this summer.

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Allvin and Tocchet will address the Vancouver media on Monday.

Asked directly on Saturday if he felt his injury had been mishandled, Pearson said: “I’m not going to share my personal opinions. I think, you know, the people that need to know what’s going on know, and I’m going to keep it that way.”

It was obvious listening to Pearson speak that the medical ordeal took an emotional and mental toll on him. He said he is still “very” limited in what he can do.

“I mean, I’m still going to approach this summer like I’m still a hockey player because I have to, right?” Pearson said. “If not, (I’ll) come back way behind the eight ball. So it’s going to be a really, really hard summer. I know that, I’m prepared for it. I’m starting to get back in the gym already. It’s actually nice to get moving again.

“I’m going to try to be as positive as I can be. Definitely there’s, you know, timelines in my mind that I would like to hit, and hopefully we do and make everything way better.”

BOESER BACK?

The biggest news drop beyond Pearson’s appearance in the group exit interviews was winger Brock Boeser’s declaration that he wants to remain with the Canucks. He had enlisted the help of his agent, Ben Hankinson, over the winter in an unsuccessful attempt to orchestrate a trade out of Vancouver.

But Allvin found no takers for Boeser and the two years remaining on his contract at $6.65 million, and the 26-year-old winger rediscovered both his game and passion for hockey after the March 3 trade deadline passed and he rededicated himself to the Canucks. Under Tocchet, Boeser had nine goals and 28 points in 36 games. He looked more engaged.

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“I don’t want to be traded,” Boeser told reporters. “I’ve expressed to you guys how much I love it here. You know, obviously, it was a tough year personally with my game and stuff earlier in the season. But I think it was kind of a blessing in disguise that I didn’t get traded. I really thought I started find my game. . . after that trade deadline and the last bit of the season there.

“Toc’s been great, the whole coaching staff has been great. Everyone knows the direction that we’re going and setting the standard in becoming better, and I want to be a part of that. So I’m going to express that (to management).”

But the decision to stay or go isn’t Boeser’s. Allvin has expressed numerous times the need to create some salary-cap flexibility, and moving players like Boeser or Conor Garland (three years left at $4.95 million) may prove to be the best way to achieve that.

After the emotional anguish of losing his father last season, Boeser finished this one with just 18 goals among his 55 points, the lowest scoring rate of his six-year career. The Burnsville, Minn., native is the longest-tenured Canuck.

PETTERSSON STICKHANDLES

Elias Pettersson didn’t exactly pledge himself to the Canucks as negotiations on a contract extension loom. But the 102-point scorer did say “I like it here” and believes he will have a chance to win if he stays in Vancouver.

“I definitely think it’s possible here,” Pettersson said. “All I care about is I want to win (and) these guys just want to win. To get there, it’s not going to be an easy process. But I think we’re all are up for the challenge and ready to do the hard work to get there.”

Pettersson has a year remaining on his bridge deal at $7.35 million and, eligible to sign an extension this summer, should become the highest-paid player in franchise history with a long-term contract that could pay $10 million or more annually.

We think that will happen. But we also thought a year ago that captain Bo Horvat would be re-signed and winger J.T. Miller traded. Instead, Allvin signed Miller to a seven-year, $56-million extension and Horvat was traded in January to the New York Islanders.

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YOU CAN COME HOME AGAIN

Finally, a word from depth defenceman Kyle Burroughs, the only Vancouverite on the Canucks and an unrestricted free agent on July 1:

“For me, these last two years have been great. It’s been nothing short of a dream. I’m sure every kid that plays road hockey in their garage, carport, hockey box anywhere around the Lower Mainland or B.C. … I’m living that dream. It meant a lot. Every time I put on the sweater, I soaked it all in and. . . last game meant a little bit more, putting that on for the last time. We’ll see what happens here moving forward. Business needs to be done (and) there’s people to do that. But I’m just appreciative of everything that the fans have given me, the City of Vancouver has given me. I wish we could be in a playoff run right now, but the memories are still great.”

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