The Vancouver Canucks have won three in a row, but all anyone can seem to talk about today is the drama.
Never a dull day in Canuck land.
By all accounts for those that witnessed it, including Daily Hive’s Canucks reporter Noah Strang, the exchange between J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson at practice on Wednesday was heated but brief.
So what does it all mean?
Practice battles have boiled over before.
Ryan Kesler and Willie Mitchell went at it at practice in 2009 before arriving at the next game with their arms around each other and big smiles on their faces.
Fights between teammates are usually meaningless. Just look at Dakota Joshua and Conor Garland, who got into it during a training camp scrimmage last season. They became best buddies after that.
But of course, Miller and Pettersson aren’t your average teammates. They’re two star players playing in a hot hockey market.
And they also have a history dating back to 2019.
It has been speculated in the past that they didn’t get along, something that Miller spoke openly about in March 2023 in an interview with Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre. He admitted that they were “completely different people” and that their relationship had “come a long way.”
“We’re still working at it,” he said. “You’re not going to be BFFs with everybody, but at the same time, you come to work together. We are polar opposite in a lot of ways, but we’re working at it,” he said at the time.
Ray Ferraro weighed in on the situation on Donnie and Dhali this morning. He recalled a time that he had a practice altercation with a teammate. They had dinner together the same evening.
“It doesn’t matter,” Ferraro said. “I can tell you, almost with certainty, [Miller and Pettersson] have not thought about it anywhere as much as anybody else has.”
So, does it mean anything? No, probably not.
But this is Vancouver, and these are the Canucks.
And everyone is here for the drama.
Combing through social media on Thursday, it didn’t seem like most fans were worried about a rift in the dressing room.
Here’s what fans had to say on X:
Can’t wait to see the reactions to this #Canucks https://t.co/6Lm5seM9ev pic.twitter.com/WJX1SD5PFV
— Connor (paid my dues) 🇨🇱 (@cknnr17) October 23, 2024
The official #Canucks poll we all need
— Darryl Keeping (@dkeeping) October 23, 2024
I know this will have some professional criticism coming my way for showing it, but I got my hands on the Petey/Miller practice fight footage, only right to #Canucks nation that I share it pic.twitter.com/r7AskYWvp7
— Memarzadeh (@ArashMemarzadeh) October 24, 2024
At the end of the day, the #Canucks have won 3 games in a row and despite that success, what happened at practice yesterday showed a level of intensity and a desire to raise their game to even higher levels. That’s a positive sign and a sign of a good team.
— JABO Vancouver (@jabo_vancouver) October 24, 2024
For a while now, Miller has been the heart and soul of the #Canucks. While we don’t know exactly why Miller and Pettersson got into it, it’s safe to assume that Miller will raise the battle level in practice if he believes someone isn’t delivering up to the standards set.
— Grady Sas (@GradySas) October 24, 2024
It’s funny cause there is more than likely nothing to this “drama”
JT done it to get a response from Petey, nowt more. If Petey gets going none of us will remember this #Canucks
— Connor (paid my dues) 🇨🇱 (@cknnr17) October 24, 2024
I absolutely believe this is gonna fire up Pettersson & he’s gonna have his best game yet on saturday #Canucks
— cat 🍂 (@canucksgrande) October 24, 2024
So what if Miller called Pettersson a baby? #Canucks 😂😂
— 🆂 🆄 🅽 🅽 🆈 🅷 🅴 🅴 🆁 ❹ ❹ (@TheHeer0s) October 24, 2024
I have a feeling Petey will ask for a trade behind closed doors by the end of next season if things don’t improve…. Just a hunch #Canucks @Sportsnet650
— Reddog (@MyFartsStink73) October 24, 2024
Miller & Pettersson getting heated proves they actually give a shit. calling it now Pettersson is gonna have his best game on saturday #Canucks
— cat 🍂 (@canucksgrande) October 23, 2024
Pettersson will score his first goal of the season on Saturday and it will be assisted by JT Miller #Canucks
— Justin Pooni (@justinpooni_) October 24, 2024