What happened to Brock Boeser? Insider speculates reason behind Canucks forward's Game 7 unavailability 

The Vancouver Canucks are expected to head into Game 7 against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday without winger Brock Boeser.

According to Eliiotte Friedman's column for Sportsnet, Brock Boeser is expected to miss the final game of the series due to a blood clot issue. He also noted that multiple sources have emphasized that Boeser's blood clot issue is not considered life-threatening.

That's definitely a relief for Brock Boeser, his teammates and his fans. However, there's not necessarily an expected timeline for his return.

If the Canucks beat the Oilers in Game 7, it remains uncertain whether the winger would be fit to play in the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars.

Losing Brock Boeser in the decisive game is a significant setback for the Vancouver Canucks. He has been one of the standout performers for the team throughout the postseason. He leads the club in scoring with 19 points garnered through seven goals and 12 assists in as many games.

Game 7 of the second-round Western Conference series between the Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers takes place on Monday at Rogers Arena.

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Brock Boeser's Canucks lose Game 6 to Oilers

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Vancouver Canucks at Edmonton Oilers

On Saturday, the Edmonton Oilers put on a dominant performance to take down the Vancouver Canucks with a thumping 5-1 win at Rogers Place. With the win, the Oilers tied the series 3-3 and pushed it to the final game.

Five players — Dylan Holoway, Zach Hyman, Evan Bouchard, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evander Kane — scored in the win for the Oilers. Meanwhile, Nils Hogglander was the lone scorer for the Canucks.

The Canucks HC Rick Tocchet expressed his thoughts during the postgame media availability. He said that while there's some disappointment, he's optimistic about his team's ability to bounce back in tough situations. He also reckoned that some players need to step up their performance.

He said (via NHL.com):

"You’re disappointed a little bit, but you know that we are a good bounce-back team,” Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet said. “Our job is we’ve got to flush this game. Some guys know they’ve got to play better, and you’ve got 48 hours to get your energy back. It’s a Game 7."

"People would kill to be in this situation right now, and we’ve got to make sure that we act like we want to be in that situation. “Play like you want to be a hero on Monday, that’s what I think.”

As per Elliotte Friedman, in addition to Brock Boser, goaltender Thatcher Demko will also be unavailable for Game 7 on Monday.