3. Elias Pettersson
Elias Pettersson is starting to feel like his old self again.
It was glaringly evident that Pettersson was struggling at the beginning of the season. He looked lost without linemate J.T. Miller, who missed the first few games of the year after being placed on the league’s COVID-19 protocol list and had zero confidence in his overall gameplay as a result.
Pettersson was under immense pressure and scrutiny from fans and media alike after only registering two points in his first eight games, and, for a long stretch of time, it seemed that he wouldn’t be able to bounce back and rediscover his dynamite, offensive prowess from the previous campaign.
Fortunately for Canucks fans, and for his fantasy hockey owners, Pettersson has been able to put all the doubt and inconsistency behind him.
He is currently riding his own five-game point streak, matching Boeser’s two goals and five points during that span, with three of those markers coming on the man advantage. He is shooting the puck more frequently from the top of the circle, and should have more goals under his belt, had it not been for a few unlucky clangs off of the post.
Elias Pettersson wires a wrist shot off the bar and out #Canucks pic.twitter.com/IzPlD30c6B
— Sportsnet 650 (@Sportsnet650) February 7, 2021
He is currently tied for fourth for team scoring with 12 points, but many expect that he’ll be able to substantially build off of those totals as the season progresses.
Despite the scoring resurgence over the past two weeks, however, Pettersson still needs to improve on many aspects of his game, including puck control, zone entry and overall chemistry with his linemates. Pettersson has the ability to steal games from opponents, but he hasn’t been able to put up these performances on a consistent basis.
He has given us flashes of his old self, littered with smirks, stares and eyebrow raises, but the Canucks won’t be able to climb out of the below-500 hole that they’ve dug themselves in if vintage Pettersson doesn’t show up each and every night.
There is no doubt that Pettersson has the potential to be one of the best centres in the entire league. But, like many other dominant, skillful players at that position, Pettersson will need to carry the team on his back from time to time. The outcome of the Canucks’ season rests heavily in his slick hands, and it’s ultimately up to him to find a way to maintain this current dynamic and offensive gameplay of his to help the team succeed.
Of course, plays like these will definitely help the cause, so we hope that EP40 can keep them coming for the rest of the year:
https://twitter.com/RobTheHockeyGuy/status/1360079480765571078?s=20
Honourable Mention: TSN 1040
On Tuesday morning, the Vancouver hockey world had to bid an unexpected and gut-punching goodbye to one of the city’s most valued and cherished institutions, TSN 1040. The previous home of the Canucks, as well as the province’s inaugural all-sports radio station, TSN 1040, was a staple for many die-hard hockey fans.
From morning commutes to the office, to heated, late-night post-game shows, TSN 1040 had it all, and it never disappointed. Their stacked, passionate line-up of radio personnel were some of the best in the business, always keeping us up to date on the latest and greatest (and not-so-great) from the boys in blue and green.
Whether you tuned into Halford and Brough after your 9:00 am cup of coffee, or stayed up into the wee hours of the night listening to Rob Fai spit the hard-hitting truth or just had Donnie and The Moj on in the background as part of your afternoon soundtrack, everyone has at least one amazing memory of TSN 1040 that they’ll never forget.
It reshaped the Vancouver sports industry for nearly 20 decades, and brought out the best in other sports media personnel, including rival Sportsnet 650, who took the time to candidly speak on the matter during the Canucks intermission on Thursday night:
Absolute class from the Sportsnet #Canucks broadcast addressing the 1040 shutdown: pic.twitter.com/0kc0kiq82Z
— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) February 12, 2021
Most importantly, TSN 1040 greatly influenced young writers, broadcasters and journalists, including many of our contributors here at The Canuck Way, to pursue their passions and to never give up on their childhood sports dreams.
It’s still hard to believe that this beloved radio station is gone, and many people are still continuing to voice their anger and sadness over Twitter. But one thing is for certain – the TSN 1040 legacy will undoubtedly live on in Vancouver sports history for years and years to come.
Upcoming games:
- Saturday, February 13th – Calgary Flames @ Vancouver Canucks (7:00 pm PST)
- Monday, February 15th – Calgary Flames @ Vancouver Canucks (7:00 pm PST)
- Wednesday, February 17th – Vancouver Canucks @ Calgary Flames (7:00 pm PST)
- Friday, February 19th – Winnipeg Jets @ Vancouver Canucks (7:00 pm PST)
Who do you think played well during the past three games? Make sure to drop a comment below!