NEWARK, N.J. – Injured for the first time in the NHL, Troy Stecher worked relentlessly to get himself back after missing a month. The experience was new and challenging.
And what does he get asked when his sprained knee is healed and Stecher is ready to play: tell us about Brock Boeser.
That’s the Vancouver Canucks’ media world these days with Boeser, Stecher’s buddy and former teammate at the University of North Dakota, riding a four-game goal-scoring streak and drawing rookie comparisons to Pavel Bure heading into Friday night’s game against the New Jersey Devils.
"I told a lot of people he was a good player before he got here," Stecher, 23, said after the morning skate. "I don’t think people kind of understood the aspect he brings to this team."
"College, it’s one thing to do it. When you get here, it’s another. Obviously, you’re playing against better competition. But at the same time, you’re playing with better competition. You have better linemates, guys that can find spots for you. He has a knack for scoring goals. He just has that ability to find that soft area. And if he doesn’t, he’s not scared to get into those dirty areas. He doesn’t surprise me one bit."
With 11 goals and 21 points in 19 games to lead the Canucks in scoring, the 20-year-old Boeser drew more reporters than Stecher in the visitors’ dressing room.
A year ago, Stecher was the surprising rookie story – a college free agent who spent less than two weeks in the minors before being promoted by the Canucks and sticking in the NHL. Stecher logged 22:35 his first game, and finished his rookie season as a top-four regular who averaged 19:58 on Vancouver’s defence.
Stecher was injured on a knee-on-knee hit by Detroit Red Wings forward Tomas Tatar on Oct. 22. Stecher returns to take the lineup spot of Erik Gudbranson, who suffered a minor shoulder injury in Wednesday’s 5-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Another key defenceman, Chris Tanev, may also get clearance to return Friday after cracking his thumb 2 ½ weeks ago.
"Selfishly, it helped that Eagle and Loui were hurt," Stecher said, referring to veteran teammates Alex Edler and Loui Eriksson, who recently returned from knee injuries. "They were two guys I was able to kind of bounce some questions off of (because) they had similar injuries. In that way, it was encouraging to understand where I was at in the rehab process and how far they’ve come."
Stecher said he hadn’t been hurt since his sophomore year at North Dakota, and even then he didn’t miss many games because his injury coincided with the Christmas break. He missed the Canucks’ last 14 games as Vancouver went 7-5-2 and got excellent work from replacement defencemen Alex Biega and Derrick Pouliot.
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If Tanev and Stecher play Friday night, Biega is likely to be scratched.
"It’s my responsibility now to get back in the lineup and stay in the lineup," Stecher said of the competition. "And if not, someone else deserves to be in. As long as we’re winning hockey games, that’s all that matters. I want to be the best hockey player I can be, and if I’m not, I’m going to be pretty pissed off at myself."
Yeah, but how about that Boeser kid?
"He’s a pretty humble kid," Stecher said. "I’m sure you guys have kind of seen that through interviews. He’s been through a lot in his life. I think it has really matured him at an early age. It’s definitely helped him at this level handle the publicity he’s getting."
Former Canuck Cory Schneider, brilliant in a 37-save, 2-0 win in Vancouver on Nov. 1, starts in goal for the Devils opposite Jacob Markstrom.
