Boeser's All-Star arrival proves he truly belongs among the NHL's elite
If there was any doubt that Brock Boeser is already a bona fide NHL superstar, his performances throughout All-Star weekend showed he truly deserves to be mentioned among the game's best and brightest.
The 20-year-old rookie left an indelible mark on the All-Star festivities in Tampa Bay all weekend, first by winning the Accuracy Shooting event in the Skills Competition on Saturday night, and then by earning tournament MVP honors with two memorable games in the All-Star tournament on Sunday.
Boeser has already put himself on the map in NHL circles a little over halfway into his first full season, leading all rookies with 24 goals and ranking second in the class with 43 points in 46 contests.
His unofficial first half went so well that he also finds himself in the top 10 in goal-scoring league-wide, tied for seventh with Colorado Avalanche sniper Nathan MacKinnon and sitting only six goals behind league leader Alex Ovechkin in three fewer games.
Still, Boeser, the Vancouver Canucks' first-round pick in 2015, came to Tampa Bay as the youngest Pacific Division All-Star in 2018, and as the only rookie playing in Sunday's 3-on-3 divisional tournament. And yet, he did more than just fit in. He excelled.
Boeser looked like a seasoned veteran Saturday night, breezing through the targets in 11.136 seconds to win the Accuracy Shooting event over Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, Brad Marchand, Anze Kopitar, Blake Wheeler, James Neal, and second-place finisher Brian Boyle.
He even literally broke one of the new LED targets, causing a long delay after his round concluded, but all that did was prolong his inevitable victory.
As if that wasn't enough, Boeser shone again on Sunday. He went top corner for a beautiful goal - for what would hold up as the game-winner - in the Pacific Division's semifinal win over the Central Division, then chipped in a goal and an assist to help the Pacific cruise past the Atlantic 5-2 in the championship round.
Boeser was named tournament MVP in a fan vote, becoming only the second rookie - and first since Mario Lemieux in 1985 - to capture that award in All-Star Game history.
While there certainly were other deserving candidates for that honor Sunday, Boeser's popularity among viewers was unquestionably warranted.
It's not just that he carried over his regular-season success in an exhibition tournament and a skills showcase, it's that he did it on one of the NHL's biggest stages and among the best of his peers.
Boeser made a major statement with his All-Star performances, and if he wasn't quite a household name beforehand, there's no doubt he is now.