-Buzzsaw-

4 hours ago, hockeyville88 said:

He looks and sounds completely defeated 

 

Hate his response to Farhan’s question about why he’s been struggling these past few months. Sounds pissed, defiant, and takes no accountability. Disappointing body language. You can make mistakes and go through slumps, but how you conduct yourself during those moments says a lot about your character. I don’t like this from Petey. Needs to mature and do better 

He's sick with something... did you not hear him reply to the person who asked if he was ill?

Probably drowsy with antihistamines too, which makes him a little zombie like.

27 minutes ago, 24K said:

 Petey never really looked right from the start of the season.

Yeah, that's why he was leading the league in scoring through the first 20 games.

28 minutes ago, Rekker said:

In my opinion. He's never looked slower or weaker. If he isn't hurt, I wonder if he botched his offseason training last summer. 

Bull.  Pettersson started the season leading the league in points for the first 20 games when he was paired with Kuzmenko.

So clearly he wasn't out of shape.

The answer for his issues are simple:

1)  Kuzmenko got yanked from his line, and Tocchet did not replace him with another top six player.  After that, the only time he played effectively was when the Lotto line was re-united and he was named player of the week.

2)  Gradually he has began to understand Tocchet won't give him the linemates he needs to succeed, and he has lost confidence and energy.

3)  He has some kind of flu bug or other virus which has been dragging on for at least a week and a half... it was first mentioned a while ago.

Pettersson has tried to play Tocchet's game... he has been hitting way more, and trying to play a physical board game.  It isn't working.. his skills and physical attributes are not such that he can succeed.  He may have even given himself and injury doing that.  He would be better off not to use his energy trying to hit and instead play his old style stick checking for the puck, which generated a lot of turnovers.

1 hour ago, Nucker67 said:

 

I'm not sure they would want him around the team if he had a virus or something catchy. He's probably not sleeping well.

His voice is husky, not his usual... sounds like he has the virus in his chest and congestion.

And he appears drowsy... probably chock full of antihistamines.

When asked about it, he acknowledges he has something, but doesn't go into detals.

Nowhere near 100% physically... which makes me wonder why Tocchet is dumping all over him.

4 hours ago, DeNiro said:

His top two lines being the Miller and Lindholm lines?

Exactly... Pettersson is third line... playing with 4th liners except on the PP.

Watching the interview, I can clearly see Pettersson is under the weather with some kind of bug.

Have to wonder if its more than just a flu... maybe some other virus.

Looks exhausted and really low on energy.

4 hours ago, Ghostsof1915 said:

Took a long while before they stumbled on Burrows.

The partner they had BEFORE Burr was themselves... there are two of them.

Pettersson is by himself.

1 minute ago, higgyfan said:

 

Right now, he is playing more like a Sedin, who were not doing much in the playoffs until

they were 26. Until then, they were treated with the same disrespect as EP by the opposition.

Eventually, the twins started focussing on building up their core strength and ended up

around 190 lbs during their peak years.  They took an incredible amount of pounding, but

were still able to produce huge offensive #s.

 

 

 

 

 

Difference is, Sedins had a partner to pass the puck to.

8 minutes ago, Nucker67 said:

 

Yes.

 

Does Pettersson improve whatever line he's on?  Can he drive a line? 

 

Last they reunited the Lotto Line, he struggled - and that line struggled (if I recall)

 

He turned a 24 goal Hoglander into a playoff dud.

 

Petey's in a Super Funk, got the Yips. Hope he figures it out before it's over.

 

Longest period the Lotto Line was re-united this season, Pettersson scored 12 pts, won player of the week.

Last few times it was re-united, it was only for half a game or less.

Hoglander scored 7 of his goals this season playing with Pettersson.

You know what?

I am going to shut up and watch the games.

Let the chips fall where they may.

And after, after the smoke clears, we'll see what happened.

Tocchet's the coach... its his decisions where to place the players on the team and how to best use them.

37 minutes ago, Shift-4 said:

Boston coach calls out Pastranak, Pasta scores OT round 1 clinching goal

Tocchet calls out Petey.....

Pastrnak plays on the Bruins top line with the best top six players the team has.

Not on the 3rd line with 4th line wingers.

3 minutes ago, VegasCanuck said:

If this was just that he isn't producing but was playing well defensively and is creating loose pucks in the offensive zone then that would be something, but his play is leading directly to opposition goals as well. At the moment, as much as I love what he is capable of, he's a liability on the ice every night.

 

 

Show examples where his play led to opposition goals.

On the other hand, for example, his defensive play has definitely helped prevent opposition goals... one example, McDavid semi-breakaway in Game 1... he got back and swept the puck away at the last moment.

And he has contributed offensively even if he has not gotten on the stats sheet... as for example, faceoff win back to Boeser, who passed to Hughes, back to Boeser who put the shot in off Joshua's leg to tie the game 2-2.

No he is not playing as well as he has in the past...  as I have said in other posts... a lot of that is a result of who he is playing with.

1.68 points per game when he is playing with at least one top six linemate...   0.82 points per game when he is playing with two 4th liners.

7 minutes ago, stawns said:

 

I wouldn't call Petey a passenger though, as he's been quite good defensively.  Again, to me this is a coaching issue as much, or more, than it is a players issue.  RT has made absolutely zero adjustments to their game plan and the game plan of curling up and protecting your vital organs while the other guy kicks you repeatedly is not a good one.

Good description of what has been happening in both the Nashville and Edmonton series.

If the Canucks coaching staff don't want Pettersson on the team, then management should trade him.

But don't put him on the 3rd line with 4th line wingers and expect him to produce.

There was a lot of interest around the league prior to the contract signing... lots of teams willing to trade for him.

Now that the finger pointing has started his value will have gone down considerably... they may need to retain salary... or take garbage in trade.

2 hours ago, JayDangles said:

Tocc has said publicly that Petey is not injured. He has also said that Petey needs to contribute more. He is also playing him 20min a game.

All things you wouldn't say or do if he was injured....

No, he said before Game 3 he was down with some kind of illness at that time.

Flu?  Something else longer term?   He wasn't specific.

But now Tocchet is pointing his finger at Pettersson and saying he needs to play better.

1 hour ago, Rip The Mesh said:

 

Dumping all over one of the team's prime players in the middle of the playoffs?

No examination of the stats re. his wingers and his production?

I think a more positive analytical approach as to why he is having problems is a better idea.

1 minute ago, 43isprime said:

 

That's not an accusation of blackmail.

 

What's ep40 made a huge stink about a winner mean then????

OP exaggerated what Pettersson said to suggest he was trying to gain something by making a 'huge stink'.

1 minute ago, 43isprime said:

 

What blackmail?

This poster:

1 minute ago, 43isprime said:

 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/report-canucks-pettersson-wants-play-team-thats-winning/

 

 

Lets take his quotes out of that article, which is dated Aug. 11 2021.

"I want to stay (in Vancouver) now, but I also want to play for a team that's winning and has the chance to go far into the playoffs every year,"

"I feel like we've got a chance to do that next year. If we have that chance when my next deal expires ... I don't know. I just want to play where there's a chance of winning."

"Right now, we're not in an agreement, but I'm not worried that we're not going to solve it eventually," the Swedish sniper said  "Both parties need to be happy in order to find a solution, but I'm not worried about that."

So lets remember, this is Benning/Green era... and the team is losing BADLY.

Still Pettersson says he wants to stay and is optimistic for next year... not worried about it... but hedges a bit... as any young ambitious player would... he doesn't want to stay with a perennial loser... (and he has to be a little concerned with Green's disastrous handling of the team)

So the suggestion that this is blackmail is total cr*p.  First it is not the same GM and second, not the same set of negotiations which led to a signed contract, third, he says he wants to stay, assuming management doesn't do something stupid that leaves the team in the basement for his entire career.

So this is totally bogus to suggest this is him threatening anything.

4 minutes ago, The Aquaman said:

This is such an enigma, EP40 and Hughes are my favourite players on the Canucks. 
 

Pettersson is point per game career player. 
 

He is and his line are playing against the Oilers 3rd pairing. 

No he isn't.... in the Edmonton games he played against all the Oiler lines... including the McDavid/Draisaitl line in the 3rd game.

Just now, GrammaInTheTub said:

Well documented in the pre-season with a full SN special of Petey and Friedman on a river cruise in Europe where Petey says these words. He wants to play for a contender and that’s why he’s signed with a contender. 

Saying he wants to play with a contender, and signing with the Canucks does not mean what the bullsh*t OP said about him, i.e. "...ep40 made a huge stink about a winner..."  as if he made demands in his contract talks about it and threatened to move elsewhere.

23 minutes ago, Déjà Vu said:

Its a complete joke, EP40 wanted to play with a team that could win the cup, well...it starts with EP40 , and even rick says he needs to pick it up and stop being a passenger, of coarse theres others aswell..but ep40 made a huge stink about a winner, but hes been playing in a huge hole and doesnt know how to get out of it

Please provide proof of this... show us the article where he said this.

I think you're full of sh*t.

1 hour ago, JayDangles said:

Petey already played with Lindholm and Joshua, and Garland, and Mik, and Podz and Karlsson, and Hogz, and Boeser... and he still didn't produce....

Complete bullshit.

Pettersson played 2-3 games with Lindholm... Lindholm scored two goals during those games.

Joshua and Garland played 1/4 of a game with Pettersson... not a sample.  Same with all the rest... except Boeser.

When the Lotto line was re-united, Pettersson scored 12 points in 5 games, 7 goals and 5 assists and was NHL Player of the week... then the line was broken up.

The winning goal in the Preds series winning game was scored when Boeser was fortuitously re-united with Pettersson, took a pass from Petey and set up Garland.

The Canucks are generating the fewest number of shots, and the fewest chances of any team in the Playoffs.

They have been outshot and outplayed for a lot of the games they have been in... in both series.

They have been fortunate to pull out some 3rd period, sometimes last minute, nearly miraculous victories against both Nashville and Edmonton.  In game 4 of the Oilers series, they tried for a miracle, but ended on the opposite end of one... the Oilers scored in the last minute, not the Canucks.

Canuck victories have been dependent on them getting extremely good play from their goaltenders.

It is clear the Canucks are not generating enough offense to maintain the puck in the O-Zone... therefore they are not able to maintain puck possession, and their opponents are taking advantage of this failure to generate offense by controlling puck possession and maintaining the puck in the Canucks' D-Zone.  In the Nashville series the Canucks were able to hold off the Preds... can they do the same versus two of the top players in the league?

Hockey is a team game... the play of the Canucks as a team is the problem... not one or two players.  None of the Canuck offensive lines are dominating their opponent... all their lines are constantly on the defensive... even the Canucks' top line.

The Canucks have been unable to maintain sustained pressure except a few minutes of a few periods.

Tocchet has not re-shuffled his lines or made any significant changes... he has tinkered a bit, with 3rd and 4th line players.

His basic lineup, has his best three centers, (and 3 of his 4 best top six players) split up and placed on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd lines.  Miller/Lindholm/Pettersson.

His top line has two top sixers... his top scorer in Miller and 4th best scorer in Boeser, and the team's best 4th liner in Suter.  (Suter could play 3rd line center in a pinch)

His 2nd line, (yes this is his second line, you can see that in both in ice time and personnel) has one top sixer in Lindholm, and his two top 3rd liners, in Garland and Joshua.  (Garland plays like a top sixer quite often, but not always... this is clearly the 2nd best Canuck line in terms of players)

His 3rd line has one top six player in Pettersson, and two 4th liners, Mikheyev and Karlsson.  (Karlsson has potential to eventually be a top sixer, but he is a Rookie, has two playoff games and in normal circumstances would be playing on the 4th line... Mikheyev has been a bust for most of 2023/2024... except when Kuzmenko was on the Pettersson line... but has not scored in 40+ games)

His 4th line has two 4th liners.  (Aman, Lafferty) and one third line center...  Blueger.

This game and last, Karlsson was switched in for Hoglander and Aman was switched in for De Giuseppe.  There was no real improvement in play.

The system and the lineups we are seeing on the ice are Tocchet's... this is his plan and his design.  His system emphasizes defense and checking... he does not tolerate players who can't play defense to his standards.

The Oilers series is tied after 4 games... first game was a 3rd period comeback victory for the Canucks, well deserved.  Second game was dominated by the Oilers, who fell behind initially, but came back to win in OT on a flukey goal.  The third game was absolutely dominated offensively by the Oilers in terms of shots and Zone time, but the Canucks managed the win due to their opportunistic forecheck, hitting and scoring.  4th game was also dominated by the Oilers in both shots and O-Zone time, Canucks nearly forced OT, but took their foot off the gas in the last minute and got 'Canucked' with a late goal.

Oilers have had a lot more chances than the Canucks... and have complained about hitting the post a lot.  That is the Oiler shooter's fault, but it still tells you they are getting a lot more chances.

The pattern for this series is clear.  High powered Oilers offense plus lousy D and goalies versus misfiring, low chance Canuck offense plus good D and goalie.

Who is going to win?  I think it is a toss up right now... which it should not be.

This series should play to the Canuck advantages... we have better D and goalies, and our offense was one of the best in the league and better balanced.  That compares well with an Oilers team which can score in buckets, but which had a questionable defense. 

But for some reason our O-Lines can't get going.  That's where coaching comes in.  When your lines can't generate offense, you start to mix and match and try different combinations.

But Tocchet seems to be rigid in his basic line structure... he seems reluctant to change them.  He seems to be more concerned with defensive checking than offensive possibilities.

But his decisions are leaving the team offensively floundering.  Isn't it time to look at other options?... The best defense is playing with the puck in the opposing D-Zone.

Why is a proven goal scorer and point getter, Elias Pettersson, who had thirty goal seasons the last three years, as well as 100 pt and 89 pt seasons in the last two, playing on the third line, with 4th liners as wingers?  Throughout his career, whenever Pettersson has been played with talented wingers, he has produced.  This year, for some reason, after Kuzmenko fell out of favour and even after that player was traded for Lindholm, Tocchet has decided to play Pettersson with 4th liners.  His production fell as soon as that happened.  That can be seen very easily when you look at his 2023/2024 offensive game by game stats:

https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/p/petteel01/gamelog/2024

Pettersson played with Kuzmenko for the first 20 games of the season, up to Nov. 11th... had 30 points.  After that he was placed with 4th liners except for a brief period in January when the Lotto line was re-united and he won NHL player of the week, putting up 12 points with 7 goals and 5 assists in 5 games.  In total, his 2023/2024 production with top six wingers on his line averages out to 1.68 pts per game, when he is with 4th liners, his production is 0.82 pts per game.

So I have to ask... for example, why is Pettersson not playing on the first line... along side Boeser and Miller... a line which proved itself many times in the past.  Or why Pettersson does not get some better players added to his line... for example, Lindholm.  Blueger could replace Lindholm in the line with Garland and Joshua... that combination was great earlier in the season.  There are several other options... I don't need to go into all of them, I am sure you can look at the possibilities.

Maybe this team will prevail over the Oilers.  Canucks do have home ice advantage.  But personally I think the risk the Oilers will start to score on their chances instead of hitting the post has to be considered.

Its up to Tocchet to adapt and structure his team to the demands of the opponent they are facing.  He should do this.

8 minutes ago, Ballisticsports said:

What I see is that when he misses, he looks dejected and gives up,

I would rather see him get angry and say to himself I am going to get that one back by showing determination to go get the puck,

Garland isn't a big guy, but he wants the puck and goes after it with determination, (while being paid 1/2)

It isn't his Size or money or mates holding EP back, it is himself

Garland is playing with better players than Pettersson.

He is playing with Lindholm and Joshua.

Pettersson is playing with 'hands of stone' Mikheyev and Rookie Karlsson.