Vancouver Canucks putting friendships on hold at 4 Nations
The Vancouver Canucks are well represented at the 4 Nations Face-Off, but their friendships are being put on pause for the competition.
With Elias Pettersson representing Sweden, Kevin Lankinen playing for Finland, and Rick Tocchet helping coach Canada, there is a Canuck on every team but the USA. However, for the next eight days, the three Canucks are putting aside their club loyalty and sticking with their countrymen.
“I told Petey I won’t talk to him for two weeks,” laughed Lankinen yesterday. “I guess we’re enemies for a little bit, but when the tournament is over, we’re definitely not again.”
Tonight’s opening game between Sweden and Canada will see Pettersson and Tocchet go head-to-head. The Swedish centre said he hasn’t talked with the coach since arriving in Montreal, although if they ran into each other, they’d chat.
“It will be weird, yes,” said Pettersson about competing against his usual coach. “[I] definitely want to come out on top so I can have the upper hand when we get back to the same team again.”
The 4 Nations break came at a good time for the Canucks. Key players like Quinn Hughes and Thatcher Demko are injured and will get time to rest and recover. It’ll also hopefully provide a reset for the struggling Pettersson, who hasn’t been at his best.
Tocchet told reporters what he was hoping to see from Pettersson during this tournament.
“I just want him to have fun,” said Tocchet last Saturday. “I know it’s a serious tournament; everyone wants to win, it’s serious. I want him to represent his country, go out, and have fun with his countrymen. Just have fun. Try stuff.”
When the tournament finishes on February 20, Lankinen, Pettersson, and Tocchet will return to Vancouver and resume helping the Canucks make a playoff push.
The first half of the year was filled with obstacles, including plenty of injuries and off-ice drama. The club hopes they’re past that now and want to continue their strong play from right before the break when they went 5-1-1.
Despite all the turmoil, the Canucks are in a playoff spot. Part of the credit must be given to Tocchet, who has done a great job with the team over the past two seasons.
“The standard and identity he’s built with us, everybody is chipping in, everybody is keeping everyone accountable,” said Pettersson. “His style of coaching has really been benefiting us.”
With hopefully the worst of their struggles behind them, the Canucks are hoping Coach Tocchet can help lead them to a second consecutive playoff birth. But before they come together to do that, they’ll be going head-to-head for bragging rights at the 4 Nations.