What’s really behind the drama involving J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson? There are plenty of theories, and now one of their former Vancouver Canucks teammates has weighed in.
Brad Richardson didn’t play with Miller and Pettersson for long, as a waiver pickup late in the 2021-22 season. That was the year that Bruce Boudreau first took over the team and the Canucks went on a second-half run that put them back in the playoff race, before eventually falling short. Miller had a breakout season offensively, scoring 99 points. Pettersson, meanwhile, struggled mightily during the first half of the season, but caught fire under Boudreau, scoring 68 points.
Richardson played just 17 games with the two star players, but he seemed to recognize a problem between them. Speaking on the Missin Curfew podcast with Shane O’Brien, Richardson explained that Miller was “too hard” on Pettersson and that “something’s gonna give” between them.
“I was in that dressing room with those guys. I love J.T.,” Richardson said. “But I even told him, I said ‘You’re too hard on this kid. You’re too hard on him. You’re saying exactly what I think, but he’s a kid that… when you’re on him [too much], he’s going to shut it down.’ I told him ‘Hey, you’re gonna lose this guy if you keep doing it.’ That’s what I said to him.
“J.T., he’s the man. But there is a lot of tension and something’s gonna give. I guarantee you. I’m not saying you gotta love every guy on your team [but] it helps. But something’s gonna give there.”
Former Canuck, Brad Richardson who played with both Miller and Pettersson shares some insight into the tension inside the #Canucks locker room #MissinCurfew Ep 350 | @DKNetwork @DKSportsbook | #DKPartner pic.twitter.com/6ZSQvA38MG
— Missin Curfew (@MissinCurfew) January 1, 2025
Richardson’s comments come not long after Canucks GM Patrik Allvin’s revealing interview with Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre, which included some pointed criticism for Pettersson. While Allvin said he believes in Pettersson, he also said the 26-year-old needs to “mature” and “face the music” when things aren’t going well.
Things certainly aren’t going well for the Canucks right now, with Pettersson and captain Quinn Hughes both injured. The Canucks have now lost five of their last six games, including a New Year’s Eve loss in Calgary that dropped them below the playoff bar.