Canucks News N Notes 23-24 Playoff Edition

[Cornuck]

https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1790838557441184050

"I want to be the difference maker."

Lalji: I know that you and everyone’s maintained that there’s not an injury, so from your perspective, why has it been so difficult these last three months to generate the way you maybe did previously?
Pettersson: [pause] Yeah, good question.
Lalji: [pause] Any thoughts, any answers?
Pettersson: [longer pause] … No.

Just sounds like a guy going through the motions - but then he's never really seemed to enjoy the media.

[Chef Boi RD]

https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1790838557441184050

"I want to be the difference maker."

Lalji: I know that you and everyone’s maintained that there’s not an injury, so from your perspective, why has it been so difficult these last three months to generate the way you maybe did previously?
Pettersson: [pause] Yeah, good question.
Lalji: [pause] Any thoughts, any answers?
Pettersson: [longer pause] … No.

Just sounds like a guy going through the motions - but then he's never really seemed to enjoy the media.

Petey is of the type who isn’t responsive or open to outside help when he is going through shit, whether that be coaches, teammates, Mom and Dad etc., trying to reach him and I suspect it’s the same treatment he gives to reporters when confronted with inquiries as to ‘what the fuck is wrong with you?’ He’s a tough nut. I know many dudes like him. Dudes like that tend to bring the vibe of the room down, their misery is infectious. It’s a selfish whoa-is-me attitude. Can’t stand it.

[Meds]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/is-petterssons-play off-woes-making-canucks-regret-contract-extension/

Ouch.

It's absolutely ridiculous this take that he got his money so now he doesn't care about the playoffs. Canucks drafted him because he said he wanted to win multiple cups. He was MVP in playoffs in SHL when his team won. By all accounts he's a very competitive guy. He'd actually been sucking for a while before he signed his contract.. that could have jeopardized this contract if the Canucks brass had come to the conclusion that he wasn't going to get out of it.

These guys are right for blasting him, but not for this reason. terrible take.

It's a harsh take, but not a totally unrealistic one.

Recall that his first couple of seasons in Vancouver this player was very focused on his own brand etc. Hockey was sometimes secondary to him. The on ice product smacked of a highly skilled player with an high hockey IQ who wasn't putting in the work to be dominant. The result was a bridge deal that was appropriately priced and the first year of that deal didn't exactly wow anyone. He then switched gears and talked about focus and off-season preparation and his next season was exceptional, this season was pacing to match or better that breakout year.....then the ASG rolled around and he seemed to falter. The team then decided it was a temporary funk and that he needed to sign so they had some security (which they already had as he was a RFA). He signed his monster payday and since then there's been nothing but an increasingly disinterested player going through the motions.

He doesn't like to be held to account by anyone. Doesn't like to be given advice. There is no way that Tocchet and his coaching staff did not already know this before they offered him $92M over 8 years, and no way they would not have conveyed this to JR/PA.

This is a guy that they never should have signed to that sort of extension and they need to get out from under it before the entire league realizes (if they don't already).

[Megaterio Llamas]

Good Riddance, Corey Perry. You Are Hockey's Tired Old Act

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nhl/go ... 780f&ei=12

[Strangelove]

Good Riddance, Corey Perry. You Are Hockey's Tired Old Act

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nhl/go ... 780f&ei=12

Some say that cat Perry is a bad motherfucker.

[5thhorseman]

https://www.baytoday.ca/national-sports ... -5-8752296

Would be great news if Demmer can get back in the cage, no disrespect to Silovs.

Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet says Thatcher Demko has "improved immensely the last 72 hours" as the all-star goaltender works his way back from a lower-body injury.

...

Tocchet, who is considering lineup changes after ripping some of his roster's effort in Game 5, didn't commit to Demko playing against the Oilers, but told reporters Wednesday the Vezina Trophy finalist has made "big strides" in recent days.

More surprisingly ...

Tocchet didn't shoot down the notion that Swedish winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki could be an option Thursday in what would be his NHL debut.

"I'm swinging the bat. I'm not scared," Tocchet said. "I don't know much about him … you've got to get your intel."

...

"If we feel as an organization he's (ready), I've got no problem at all," Tocchet said. "I'm not scared to put somebody in. When you're close to achieving something, which is trying to get to the next round, you'll do whatever. That's the way it is.

"You can't play safe if you want to win. You've got to go for it."

Gotta like the way Tocchet thinks. He's not gonna play it safe like the Knob.

I can see Hoggy back in the lineup. Maybe Lek - Petey - Hog?

[Carl Yagro]

More surprisingly ...

Tocchet didn't shoot down the notion that Swedish winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki could be an option Thursday in what would be his NHL debut.

"I'm swinging the bat. I'm not scared," Tocchet said. "I don't know much about him … you've got to get your intel."

...

"If we feel as an organization he's (ready), I've got no problem at all," Tocchet said. "I'm not scared to put somebody in. When you're close to achieving something, which is trying to get to the next round, you'll do whatever. That's the way it is.

"You can't play safe if you want to win. You've got to go for it."

Gotta like the way Tocchet thinks. I can see Hoggy back in the lineup. Maybe Lek - Petey - Hog?

The only problem I have with Tocchet is that he didn't go with the bold moves earlier. He gave so much leash to the underachieving 1st line, even trying the failed project of promoting Lafferty for the umpteenth time. Heck, a bold move would have been to sit EP for one game and thrown Sheldon Dries in there. Not sure how he could have been worse.

Should have dropped Hogs and put Pods in for a kamikaze 4th line instead of wasting two games on vanilla soft Swedes Karlsson and Aman. So go ahead, get Lekkerimaki in there. Gawd knows we need more scoring chances and finishing.

I hope Tocchet is indeed not scared to swing the bat to try to get to the next round because I'm smelling a little bit of fear and uncertainty.

[Cousin Strawberry]

Good Riddance, Corey Perry. You Are Hockey's Tired Old Act

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nhl/go ... 780f&ei=12

Some say that cat Perry is a bad motherfucker.

Wasn't it Chelios's daughter?

[Chef Boi RD]

Good Riddance, Corey Perry. You Are Hockey's Tired Old Act

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nhl/go ... 780f&ei=12

Some say that cat Perry is a bad motherfucker.

Wasn't it Chelios's daughter?

Apparently not according to some

[CrzyCanuck]

https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1790838557441184050

"I want to be the difference maker."

Lalji: I know that you and everyone’s maintained that there’s not an injury, so from your perspective, why has it been so difficult these last three months to generate the way you maybe did previously?
Pettersson: [pause] Yeah, good question.
Lalji: [pause] Any thoughts, any answers?
Pettersson: [longer pause] … No.

Just sounds like a guy going through the motions - but then he's never really seemed to enjoy the media.

Well then he needs to stop talking pretty words and start playing

Did Bo Horvat teach him all that all-PR talk-no-do leadership?

[Madcombinepilot]

More surprisingly ...

Tocchet didn't shoot down the notion that Swedish winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki could be an option Thursday in what would be his NHL debut.

"I'm swinging the bat. I'm not scared," Tocchet said. "I don't know much about him … you've got to get your intel."

...

"If we feel as an organization he's (ready), I've got no problem at all," Tocchet said. "I'm not scared to put somebody in. When you're close to achieving something, which is trying to get to the next round, you'll do whatever. That's the way it is.

"You can't play safe if you want to win. You've got to go for it."

Gotta like the way Tocchet thinks. I can see Hoggy back in the lineup. Maybe Lek - Petey - Hog?

The only problem I have with Tocchet is that he didn't go with the bold moves earlier. He gave so much leash to the underachieving 1st line, even trying the failed project of promoting Lafferty for the umpteenth time. Heck, a bold move would have been to sit EP for one game and thrown Sheldon Dries in there. Not sure how he could have been worse.

Should have dropped Hogs and put Pods in for a kamikaze 4th line instead of wasting two games on vanilla soft Swedes Karlsson and Aman. So go ahead, get Lekkerimaki in there. Gawd knows we need more scoring chances and finishing.

I hope Tocchet is indeed not scared to swing the bat to try to get to the next round because I'm smelling a little bit of fear and uncertainty.

Yeah, I think we have to agree to disagree here, and recall expectations.

At the beginning of the year, most of us here (including you, iirc) thought a ‘good year’ would be ‘playing relevant games down the stretch and making the playoffs’

That’s been exceeded.

To now be critical of Tocchet when he has the team playing a radically different style of play since his all star goalie went down and his #1 center started slumping — and still be playing relevant hockey in the middle of the second round of playoffs — is slurping from the media straw.

[UWSaint]

To now be critical of Tocchet when he has the team playing a radically different style of play since his all star goalie went down and his #1 center started slumping — and still be playing relevant hockey in the middle of the second round of playoffs — is slurping from the media straw.

Agree.

Tockey's message and approach is measured and consistent, and that has probably done more that anything else to create an identity and have the collateral effect of increasing confidence.

I don't think the Canucks have looked stale at all against the Oilers. Game 4 was the best game the Oilers played this series (IMO), and they did it by making a couple of adjustments, mainly splitting McD and Draisatl so that one of them was on the ice every 3rd shift (or more). Still, the Canucks were in it to the end thanks to Silovs, Garland, Boeser, Lindholm, and a decent job by the D. And they were in it despite not only another underwhelming performance by EP40, but with a that's-the-bad-JT game by Miller. (I've heard comments on his last shift, but all night long Miller was a mess -- the penalty he took was absolutely stupid when the game plan has to be no needless penalties against that lethal PP (and was a penalty) -- and he was a pointless turnover machine). So if your top two centers are providing negative value and you are tied with 90 second left in the third and the other team is skating well and taking liberties? I'll take it. Absent a march to the penalty box or a major injury or illness to a key player, I don't know how Edmonton can improve their odds over a coin flip if the Canucks minimize errors; and I'd favor the Canucks if they can have 2 of the Miller, Pettersson, and Lindholm lines clicking. But the bottom line, I think staying the course gives the Canucks at least even odds to win this series, and given the Oilers are a very solid team, that's a pretty good position to be in and not one to hit the change-it-all! button about.

That's not to say line up changes on the fringes aren't on the table. If it ever makes sense to play the Sushi Roll and see what he's got, it is game 5 with the season not being on the line and with the luxury of last change. I'm not sure if Hoglander's scratch is truly healthy of if he (literally) lost a testicle, but he will come back with plenty of energy if he draws in. The balance is, however, that minimizing quality chances against seems a better approach against the Oilers than trading chances. Hog isn't great on defense. Any rookie is a risk with respect to coverage, and its not like Sushi Roll comes in with a defensive reputation. So Tockey will have to weigh risks vs. benefits with that lens. Aman is not a bad penalty killer -- that's important. (Lafferty isn't a good penalty killer IMO, but you can't take two of them out and replace with zero).

Last bit, I'd put my money on EP40 having a wrist/hand issue, and possibly more. The bobble in front of his own goal the other night is consistent with that. He's hesitancy to shoot is consistent with that. He's moving his feet when the Oilers have the puck, just not when he has the puck. That's consistent with a wrist issue.

[BoS]

Interesting take on Pettersson, UDub.

I haven’t seen any obvious ailments when watching him behind the play, but he’s always had ridiculous hand/eye with an innate ability to knock down passes, anticipate plays and interrupt the play. He hasn’t been poor defensively, but he has not created turnovers anywhere close to the rate he has much of his career. His ability to break up plays and reverse the flow is what got locals talking Selke candidate, but this aspect has been largely absent for some time.

I also believe his weight is a massive issue. And the deeper the team goes in the post-season, the more evident it will become. I’d be curious to know what his weight is today compared to last October.

[Chef Boi RD]

I also believe his weight is a massive issue. And the deeper the team goes in the post-season, the more evident it will become. I’d be curious to know what his weight is today compared to last October.

It’s this. Strength and conditioning on skinny players over the grind of a long NHL season has been an issue for some. I think Petey falls into this category, the physical fatigue has now crept into mental fatigue. He looks spent.

Petey works out extremely hard in the off season. He looks much stronger at the beginning of the season than the end. He’s gonna have to figure out how to maintain his off season workout strength over the course of a season. He’s rail thin, makes Blobbees birdbones seem like a giant.

[Lancer]

Interesting take on Pettersson, UDub.

I haven’t seen any obvious ailments when watching him behind the play, but he’s always had ridiculous hand/eye with an innate ability to knock down passes, anticipate plays and interrupt the play. He hasn’t been poor defensively, but he has not created turnovers anywhere close to the rate he has much of his career. His ability to break up plays and reverse the flow is what got locals talking Selke candidate, but this aspect has been largely absent for some time.

I also believe his weight is a massive issue. And the deeper the team goes in the post-season, the more evident it will become. I’d be curious to know what his weight is today compared to last October.

Either it’s hurt or he doesn’t trust it - either to do what he wants with it or that he will re-injure or exacerbate it.

We’ll see. It’s also consistent with lack of confidence/the yips getting to him. He did well in the bubble, but we’re starting to find that the Bubble playoffs were only so indicative. Maybe the pressure is getting to him. It was different when he was a wunderkind rookie in the SHL tearing up the playoffs. This is THE big stage and he’s a core part vice a skilled kid. Maybe it’s getting to him.