Canucks Coach Puts Struggling Star on Notice

This season was a trying one for the Vancouver Canucks, and especially their supposed top forward in Elias Pettersson.

Pettersson, 26, had a paltry 45 points (15 goals, 30 assists) in 64 games, the lowest season total in his career except for when he played just 26 games in 2020-21. His minus-10 rating was also the worst of his career, and very concerning for a two-way player like him.

With Pettersson making $11.6 million per year until 2031-32, the Canucks simply need him to get back on track and fast.

How can he do that? Well, head coach Rick Tocchet has a very blunt suggestion.

“I think he'll tell you that his preparation has to get better,” Tocchet said, per NHL.com. “There's no secret, if you want to be a great player, you have to prepare, almost to that obsessive type of preparation. … He's got to practice better. … He's learning and do I think he will do those things? I do. I really do. I think I can bank on him taking this information, going away for four months, and make sure he has a plan and the plan has to change. I'm not sure he can train the same way. ... To be honest with you, that's got to change.”

Pettersson slowed down his training regimen last offseason due to knee tendinitis, and it unfortunately showed as his skating was nowhere near where it was in years past. The Swedish forward said he plans to stay in Vancouver longer this offseason, though he'll need to work through an oblique injury that cost him the final 12 games of the campaign.

No matter what he does, Pettersson believes he does need to get stronger this offseason.

“Strength doesn't come easy for me … didn't get the best genetics from the parents,” Pettersson said. “I'm going to take this time to take advantage of the extra month of training to come in great for next season. … I'm not perfect. I'm trying to be, but it’s been a lot of adversity this year. I'm always trying to believe I can grow from it.”

Of course, there was also Pettersson's infamous feud with former Vancouver forward J.T. Miller, which reached a boiling point this season before the Canucks traded the latter to the New York Rangers on Jan. 31. Tocchet admitted that replacing Miller's production will be a challenge, but from Pettersson's perspective, putting the feud behind him for good can hopefully help restore his confidence.