“In the past, when he played the best he could, the Canucks played the best they could. I want him to feel important because he is vital for this team. ‘ – Bruce Boudreau on Elias Pettersson
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Elias Pettersson needs to be more present.
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He knows it, his coach knows it, and a power play setting can provide a better production platform.
Pettersson was put in front of the net in the first power play drive in practice Tuesday before the Vancouver Canucks’ three-game road trip that begins Wednesday in Anaheim.
The reason is not only to give the talented center the opportunity to use quick hand-eye coordination to pounce on loose discs, but also to set effective screens and execute his deft touch to deflect discs. It’s a paper coming back for a guy normally stationed on the half wall to get his touches and unload that single timer.
However, that plan got slow, predictable and easier to defend, so JT Miller moved to the wall Tuesday. And facing the Ducks’ sixth penalty death, why not pitch a rising club that has only one regulation loss in its last 10 games (6-1-3) for a trade?
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Pettersson has just eight power play points, including three men’s advantage goals, and should be able to do more to help the Canucks stretch their winning streak to seven games. It would also allow Bruce Boudreau to become the sixth coach in NHL history to start 7-0-0 with a new club.
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The Canucks will take a competitive break with Ducks forward Trevor Zegras, who scored two goals and one assist in a 5-1 win over Vancouver on Nov. 14, on COVID-19 protocol to join teammates Max Comtois. and Sam Steel. But it’s up to Pettersson to make his own breaks to build four points (2-2) in his last six games.
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“I like to play in front of the net,” Pettersson said. “I’ve been examining the goalkeepers and I’m pretty good at throwing the puck and playing my part. It’s cool, but I have to earn it. If you don’t play hard, you shouldn’t have that many minutes. A very good start with Bruce and we have to keep it up. “
Which brings up the issue that Boudreau is better to Pettersson than Travis Green. Pettersson won the Calder Trophy under Green’s guidance, but his ice time was shortened this season. And they dropped him to the third line to find his game, or at least lean on elements that could help trigger the transition to offensive zone presence and engagement.
In his last six games with Green at the helm, Pettersson clocked in at 18:46, 13:31, 13:13, 13:05, 18:05, 12:45. With Boudreau, it was 19:13, 18:09, 15:09, 16:45, 17:48, 17:06.
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“A lot of comparisons since Bruce came in, but they see hockey differently and Bruce likes to play a little more aggressive,” Pettersson said. “Both systems have been good for me and I have been able to play my game with both coaches.”
Boudreau knows Pettersson, Bo Horvat and Miller are interchangeable with the roles of PP1, but providing more options has always been the challenge in making a power play look as good on ice as it does on paper.
“Petey is too important to give 35 or 40 seconds (in PP2) and he can play low and stay in front of the net,” Boudreau said. “He has good hands if there is a rebound, so I thought it was a good experiment, they tried it at the beginning of the year, and this is a good time to get it back.
“He is a skilled PP and any loose album. I bet money we’ll get it if we beat the opposition. Give them an inch and they can score. “
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Pettersson averages just 2.2 shots per game and his shooting percentage is just 8.7 percent, compared to 15.9 last season and a team-best 16.7 in 2019-20. So it stands to reason that anything that can deliver more record touches, even in those crowded folds, could boost confidence and production.
“In the past, when he played his best, the Canucks played the best they could,” added Boudreau. “The last games he played before I got here, many were in the 13 minute range and he can play from 18 to 20, so we have to find ways to bring him to the ice a little more – and the PP and the PK they are two ways.
“I want him to feel important because he is vital to this team.”
This is why Boudreau knows that he cannot pull too much on the reins of his horses because they need to run.
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“If you’re one of the best players, whether it’s because of your reputation or because of the past, taking time off, maybe a game to show that you’re not working hard enough, you still have to play these guys. You will not win without them. If he (Pettersson) isn’t playing well, he has to play to get out of it. “
Miller believes that a demanding role for Pettersson could generate more force on the discs and more of them finding the web.
“As long as he’s being tough on the net,” Miller said. “It’s hard work, but it looks good on him. We are going to need it. It’s a tough stretch next month or so. “
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