NHL insider thinks Pettersson tough love is calculated move by Canucks
The noise around Elias Pettersson is getting louder, following a minor altercation with J.T. Miller at Vancouver Canucks practice on Wednesday.
Pettersson was a hot topic on today’s edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast, with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speaking about the struggling Canucks star player for 11 straight minutes.
Friedman said after Canucks management re-signed Pettersson to a massive eight-year, $92.8 million contract last March, they felt he could get his game up another level or two.
“It was felt that as great as he is, they needed to get him to be tougher,” Friedman said.
Tempers flared briefly at Canucks practice following an intense battle drill between Miller and Pettersson. It was over quickly, and we’ve certainly seen worse in practices over the years.
But was this merely just emotions running high?
It seems this was part of a calculated move by the Canucks.
“What I also believe… They didn’t want it to be up to Rutherford or Allvin or Tocchet to do it. They really believe in their leadership group,” Friedman added. “I think they said, ‘You guys are the ones that are going to have to do it.’ Miller’s obviously taking that very literally… I think Hughes is involved too.”
“I think the Canucks see this as it might be better for Pettersson if it comes from his teammates as opposed to the coach or the GM. I think what the Canucks have said to their leadership group is ‘Elias needs to get to another level. You all see it. And we want you guys to get him there.’ And I think they all see it, they understand it, and they’re trying to push him there.”
“I don’t think [Pettersson] always likes it. I think they’re hoping he will understand that it’s to make them win.”
Pettersson has two points in his last two games and has played better of late, since being put on a line with Conor Garland and Nils Höglander. But he hasn’t scored a goal in six games this season, nor has he played like the dynamic player with superstar potential that fans in Vancouver have seen since he entered the NHL in 2018. He is averaging just 1.5 shots on goal per game so far.
In short, it has been a continuation of last season.
Pettersson’s production slipped after February 1, with him finishing the season with 25 points and just seven goals in the final 33 regular-season games. The 25-year-old had an extremely disappointing playoff run, with just one goal and six points in 13 games.
Pettersson said last spring he was playing with a “bad knee” since January, despite not missing a game in 2023-24. While Pettersson characterized it as a “nagging injury,” Rick Tocchet seemed to downplay the ailment by calling it “tendonitis.”
Friedman said on today’s podcast that he didn’t think Pettersson was feeling 100% yet.
We’ll see if Pettersson can “block out the noise,” as Tocchet suggested recently, with the Canucks returning to Rogers Arena for a three-game homestand beginning on Saturday.
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