Johnny Boychuk’s Hit on Mason Raymond to Blame for Canucks’ Offensive Woes, According to Tony Gallagher

Johnny Boychuk is the most powerful defenseman in the history of the NHL.

That's the only conclusion to draw from a claim that the Canucks' impotent offense is a result of Boychuk's hit on Mason Raymond.

"Why has the Vancouver offense gone dry?" writes Tony Gallagher of The Province. "Lots of reasons of course, but Mason Raymond being carted off to the hospital just after the opening faceoff after Monday night's late hit by Johnny Boychuk with no puck near him and no call early in the first period is a pretty good place to start."

As noted, there was no call on the play, which will sideline Raymond for Game 7 and at least the next three months. And the aforementioned hit occurred in Game 6, after the Canucks had scored one or zero goals in four games of the series. Raymond had no points in the five full games he played, and has just two goals and three assists in the last three rounds combined.

But according to the storyline currently being promoted by the Canucks, who asked the league to review the hit, that hit is part of "a familiar NHL pattern," in Gallagher's words.

Apparently, the NHL hates Canadians, even though roughly half the league's players are from Canada. The NHL dislikes Canada so much, Boychuk (an Alberta native himself) has single-handedly demolished the Canucks' offense and enabled Wednesday's Game 7.

The Bruins are sure glad they've got Boychuk on their side.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Sami Salo and Chris Higgins tend to Raymond.

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