The Canuck Way
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Canucks: Three takeaways from disappointing 3-2 loss to Minnesota Wild

By Joshua Rey

VANCOUVER, BC - OCTOBER 26: Alex Chiasson #39 of the Vancouver Canucks and Jared Spurgeon #46 of the Minnesota Wild eye the loose puck after goalie Cam Talbot #33 of the Minnesota Wild made a save during the second period of NHL action on October, 26, 2021 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BC - OCTOBER 26: Alex Chiasson #39 of the Vancouver Canucks and Jared Spurgeon #46 of the Minnesota Wild eye the loose puck after goalie Cam Talbot #33 of the Minnesota Wild made a save during the second period of NHL action on October, 26, 2021 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images) /
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VANCOUVER, BC – OCTOBER 26: Quinn Hughes #43 of the Vancouver Canucks and Nico Sturm #7 of the Minnesota Wild battle for the loose puck along the boards during the first period of NHL action on October, 26, 2021 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images)
VANCOUVER, BC – OCTOBER 26: Quinn Hughes #43 of the Vancouver Canucks and Nico Sturm #7 of the Minnesota Wild battle for the loose puck along the boards during the first period of NHL action on October, 26, 2021 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images) /

Defence was giving the Wild easy chances

The Canucks defence did not look good on paper before the season started. Seven games into the season, the defence hasn’t looked good at all.

Vancouver gave the puck away six times in the game. (Though it seems like it was more.)

On the first goal, Tucker Poolman and Hughes left Zuccarello all alone.

Poolman by the way, left the game in the second period and did not return. According to Thomas Drance of The Athletic, it is an upper body injury.

There was an unacceptable turnover from Jack Rathbone in the second which lead to Brodin’s goal.

There were a lot of turnovers and odd man rushes. The Canucks defence looked so careless coming out of their own zone and made a bunch of ill-advised passes.

The Wild went through the Canucks defence like they were a turnstile at a Skytrain station except they didn’t need a Compass Card to go through.

It isn’t going to be fun watching this defence as the season goes on.

Elias Pettersson invisible again

Yes, he assisted on Chiasson’s goal. It was a nice pass.

Other than that, Pettersson didn’t look like himself again.

Per NaturalStatTrick, Pettersson had a 50% Corsi For percentage but analytics don’t tell the whole story.

He looked like he was overthinking on the power play. Pettersson was hesitating to shoot and kept passing instead.

At five-on five, Pettersson looked invisible. He was missing like Luke Skywalker in The Force Awakens.

Like the rest of the team, he wasn’t taking shots on goal, (he had two the entire game and was barely shooting.) or creating plays like he usually does. Pettersson looked slower out there and it has been a rough start to the season for the 2017 fifth overall pick.

“I thought his game was average tonight,” said Green on Pettersson.

The Canucks need their best players to perform. It’s obvious at this point. Pettersson is the best player on the Canucks, and he needs to get going.

Yes, he hasn’t played a lot of hockey over the last calendar year. Yes, he has missed training camp due to contract negotiations but he has to figure it out soon.

It’s natural to be worried about Pettersson’s start, and I’m sure he will figure it out at some point and this homestand is a perfect opportunity.

It just can’t come soon enough.

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