The Vancouver Canucks practice happenings are dominating headlines amid a three-game win streak.
Star players Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller got into a scuffle at practice on Tuesday. The two players exchanged some slashes after a battle drill before Miller delivered a cross-check to his teammate.
The always honest Miller was asked about the skirmish today and whether he thought it was worth discussing. He gave a frank answer.
“No.”
He didn’t need to expand on it to show his distaste for the idea. Head coach Rick Tocchet seemed to agree with his assistant captain.
“I didn’t even think about it,” said Tocchet today, downplaying the incident. “We want guys to practice hard against each other, and sometimes you’re going to get that, and you move on from it. It’s not even a big deal.”
The team skated at UBC this morning and the two players were once again matched up in a battle drill. While this one didn’t end with a cross-check, the compete level was clearly there.
J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson matched up in battle drill at #Canucks practice
(Sorry for bad quality) pic.twitter.com/4VWmmxnq3p
— Noah Strang (@noahstrang_) October 25, 2024
Pettersson has gotten off to a slow start this season, with just three points in six games. He hasn’t looked like himself since January of last season, and the pressure has been mounting, especially considering he’s making $11.6 million per season.
The Canucks need him to be better, and a new report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman today suggests they’ve elected the tough-love approach. That may be partially what’s behind the spirited reps at practice.
“It was felt that as great as he is, they needed to get him to be tougher,” said the NHL insider on the 32 Thoughts Podcast.
“They didn’t want it to be up to Rutherford or Allvin or Tocchet to do it. They really believe in their leadership group… I think they said, ‘You guys are the ones that are going to have to do it.’ Miller’s obviously taking that very literally… I think Hughes is involved too.”