Tocchet says Pettersson, Hughes will wear letters for the Canucks
Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes will have some additions to their Vancouver Canucks jerseys coming out of the NHL All-Star break.
Both will sport a letter on their chest as part of the leadership group, according to coach Rick Tocchet.
“If we’re going to set the bar high here in Vancouver with the Canucks, those two guys have to be involved in the leadership group,” Tocchet said on Halford & Brough in the Morning on Sportsnet 650 on Thursday. “Every day when they come in, they’ve got to set the standard, and I’m gonna really lean on those guys.
“Those guys have been in the league three, four years now. They’re premier players in the league, and I think it’s important that they have a voice and they’re part of this leadership group going forward.”
The Canucks traded captain Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders earlier this week, prompting speculation that one of Pettersson or Hughes could take on a larger leadership role.
Patrik Allvin, Vancouver’s general manager, was asked about naming a new captain in the aftermath of the Horvat deal and didn’t rule out one would be named this season but did say he’d meet with Tocchet and team president Jim Rutherford.
🗣️"Petey and Hughes will be in the leadership group, those two guys will get a letter (on their jerseys)."
▶️@Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet joined @MikeHalford604 to discuss the team's leads moving forward. pic.twitter.com/NAA2wCsVWq
— Sportsnet 650 (@Sportsnet650) February 2, 2023
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, JT Miller, and Tyler Myers served as Horvat’s assistant captains prior to his departure to Long Island.
“Right now the trade just happened and it’s an ongoing discussion,” Tocchet said. “I’m really going to use my staff, obviously pick Patrik’s brain, but like I said, Petey’s going to be in the leadership group, Quinn Hughes will be in the leadership group. Obviously, JT Miller is a leader in that room — we’ve got a bunch of guys. Schenner, OEL, so you know, those two guys (Pettersson and Hughes) will get a letter.
“How I’m going to do it I haven’t thought about it too much other than the fact that I’m going to try to power a really strong leadership group, and it’s gonna be multiple guys in that leadership room.”
Pettersson, the No. 5 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, is first in team scoring with 58 points (21 goals, 37 assists) in 47 games with the Canucks this season, and has 279 points (118 goals, 161 assists) in 292 games over parts of five seasons in Vancouver.
Hughes, the No. 7 pick in 2018, is second in Canucks scoring with 45 points (five goals, 40 points) in 45 games in 2022-23, and 210 points (24 goals, 186 assists) in 250 games since entering the lineup in 2019.
Vancouver returns to action when they visit the New Jersey Devils on Monday, February 6.
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