“I think once the shot is across the bow to a veteran [Jake DeBrusk], I think all veterans have to be on notice and if it happens to Brock Boeser, Brock can’t sit there and say ‘I’m shocked, I didn’t see this coming’. He just watched a guy that’s basically in the same sort of slump as he is. A guy that is paid in the same ballpark and a guy who is expected to do what Brock Boeser is supposed to do. I mean it’s come to that for Brock and it’s unfortunate and as I’ve said and I said on Rink Wide too, with all these struggling wingers, context matters here and you do have to give them a little leeway with the idea that these are not independent play drivers, they’re not guys that go and get the puck and skate it the length of the ice and do all the heavy lifting.” Paterson said.
He added, “They need help from the guy in the middle and they have played with David Kampf, they played with Lukas Reichel, they have at times with Nils Aman, who has got a couple games up here in the National Hockey League. So it hasn’t been exactly a who’s who at the center ice position and I think the struggles of the wingers just underscores how weak the Canucks have been down the middle, we all know it, I know the organization knows it, but it’s sort of coming home to roost now with all these veteran wingers that have gone forever without putting the puck in the net.”