'Next man up': Canucks coach, teammates bracing for Game 7 without Brock Boeser

Questions about how the team is going to handle the absence of star winger Brock Boeser from a do-or-die game seven dominated pre-game interviews with the Vancouver Canucks coach and players Monday morning.

Rick Tocchet confirmed reports that the team will be without one of its top scorers when they face off against the Edmonton Oilers. However, he declined to comment on the nature of Boeser’s injury or to provide a timeline for his return if the Canucks advance to the next round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“He’s scored some big goals for us, it’s a tough one. But, next man up. That’s the way you have to approach it, like we have all year,” the coach said.

Boeser has seven goals and five assists in 12 playoff appearances this year, and recorded career highs in goals and points during the regular-season campaign.

Defenceman Tyler Myers echoed Tocchet’s sentiments – saying the team has been resilient all season and that he expects the same Monday night.

“Guys just have to step up,” he said. “We have to look at it like an opportunity for other guys to step up and step into a role and be excited for it.”

Teammate Dakota Joshua said it will be difficult to be without one of the longest tenured Canucks but he knows Boeser will be watching – and the team wants to do him proud.

“It just adds all the more fuel to the fire to get this done for him. No one’s cheering us on more than him tonight. We don’t want to let him down as well, so, we’ll be battling for him out there,” he said.

“We’re going to pick up the slack for him.”

The winner of Monday's game will face the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference final starting Thursday. 

With files from The Canadian Press