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Canucks Preview: Why Brock Boeser embraces dogs and roster rebuild challenge

Strolls through the woods with canine companions were an elixir for Boeser to combat an unimaginable 2025-26 season and shore up hope for this year's roster rebuild. 'I'm in a great place.'

Published Sep 24, 2026  •  Last updated 2 days ago  •  4 minute read

Vancouver Canucks winger Brock Boeser didn't have a lot to smile about in torturous 2025-26 season, but is willing to lead by example in roster rebuild. Photo by Alex Goodlett /Getty Images

Brad Pitt has three dogs. Brock Boeser has two.

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It’s not a competition, but there’s an unspoken bond between Hollywood actor and long-serving Vancouver Canucks winger. They love dogs and what they provide in loyalty, companionship and daily stress relief.

Pitt’s latest movie Heart Of The Beast opens Friday. The survival thriller is receiving critical acclaim for how Pitt, playing a retired Army Special Forces veteran and his military combat German shepherd, Odin, struggle to survive in the Alaskan wilderness after a plane crash.

“He’s a good actor. I might go see it. If it’s sad, I might not do it,” Boeser told Postmedia.

Boeser was heartbroken last October when his rescue dog Coolie, adopted during the 2018 NHL All-Star Weekend, died from cancer. Boeser then acquired a mix-breed in Winnie from Minnesota last December to join Milo, who was adopted in 2020.

“Love dogs,” said Boeser. “It’s so easy to get caught up in stresses and everything that’s going on in your life. Especially last year, it was tough mentally. I’ll take my wife and dogs to Pacific Spirit Park and just get away. It’s hard to continually think about hockey out there. It’s just nice to enjoy the wilderness.

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“It’s so good for your mind.”

And, clearly, those sanity strolls were the elixir to combat an unimaginable 2025-26 season where everything went wrong. A plummet to the bottom of league standings, trade departure of Quinn Hughes to trigger the exit of more veterans, struggling to score and defend, plus franchise records for futility with an 11-game losing streak, 9-27-5 home-ice record and giving up 326 goals.

If all that wasn’t bad enough, the vibe in the room wasn’t right.

“I tried to go home and not think about the season. It was a rough one,” understated Boeser. “There was a lot going on. Sometimes you have to go through the bad to get to the good.”

Boeser had just 22 goals, but a late spurt of 15 points (6-9) in 12 outings to pass Pavel Bure for eighth place in franchise scoring with 482 points. He also won the infamous NHL version of the Green Jacket with a league-worst minus-48 rating, which spoke more to being at the wrong time amid too many egregious team errors.

The collective crush ushered in commitment to a roster rebuild with a new hockey management group and coaching staff and timely additions of battle-tested Luke Schenn, Brendan Gallagher and Jamie Oleksiak to hold new teammates accountable.

However, it’s still a sobering career trajectory for the 29-year-old Boeser, the longest-tenured current Canuck. He’s part of a leadership group tasked with ensuring culture, commitment, growth, strength and camaraderie are intact this season.

Boeser is buoyed by a new operational structure with highly-respected Henrik and Daniel Sedin as co-presidents, Ryan Johnson as general manager and Manny Malhotra at the coaching helm. They are all rookies in responsibilities at this level, but pack of wealth of experience. Especially the Sedins.

They set the bar on Day 1 to ensure culture is evident on the ice, in the room, and charitable community.

“You know how smart they are and how good they are,” marvelled Boeser. “You can have a conversation with them and not feel intimidated. That’s really important to every guy in here. But they also expect you to show up and give it your all.

“The changes are a new chapter to this season, and so far, I have so much hope just seeing how Manny is operating, pushing us and making sure we’re sharp on details.”

Boeser has become face of the franchise in his 11th full season.

And for a guy who has endured plenty of personal and professional strife on and off the ice — especially with constant trade speculation — there’s something soothing about a breath of fresh air. You notice it entering the lockeroom. Players are available and talkative. Nobody is hiding or bolting as soon as possible.

‘It’s so good, — you can just feel it.” confirmed Boeser. “But when we get on the ice it’s all business and guys know that.”

Losing will come before winning and a long trek back to the playoffs, but Boeser is wired to handle adversity. He never complains about injuries, even before post-game treatments to address ailments before facing the media. It’s why he has always been all in here and has never wanted out.

“Yeah, 100 per cent,” he stressed. “You never know what can happen. You show up every night, work with good structure and do it consistently, and you have a chance to win most nights. I know it’s still a process, but I just like how hard we’re working.”

Boeser represents a lot that is right with the franchise, so would he consider the captaincy?

“Of course, but who knows what’s going to happen,” he stated. “You’ve got to make sure you’re fully in. It’s very rare and something you would have to appreciate. I would definitely think about it.”

What Boeser doesn’t have to ponder in his place on the team and in a city that feels like home.

“I’m in a great place,” he summed up.

bkuzma@postmedia.com

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