VANCOUVER — Day 2 of the Calder Trophy Clash dawned with Mathew Barzal of the Islanders, who is from here, and Brock Boeser of the Canucks, who plays here, facing a playoff-level phalanx of TV cameras after their morning skates.
But neither player was surprised, because they have been talking about one another for much of the season, and were asked to do so after practice Sunday and again in the hours before Monday night’s game at Rogers Arena.
As an added touch, several members of the Seattle-area media showed up to talk to Barzal, who helped that city’s Thunderbirds win the Western Hockey League title last season.