Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes were two very good players on a not-very-good Vancouver Canucks team this NHL season.
By combining for 46 goals and 180 points, Pettersson and Hughes showed what Vancouver鈥檚 potential could be if management surrounds them with more talented players.
But by finishing the season 11th in the Western Conference with a 38-37-7 record for 83 points and missing the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons, the Canucks showed the reality of their current situation.
Despite the darkness of the concluded season, Pettersson and Hughes, the two brightest spots on the Vancouver roster, remain confident the Canucks are heading in the right direction under new coach Rick Tocchet.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a little disappointing right now, but looking forward I think we should be excited going into next year,鈥� Hughes, a 23-year-old defenceman born in Orlando, Fla., said Saturday as the players cleaned out their lockers and held exit meetings with the coaching staff.
鈥淚 think everyone should be optimistic. We have a lot of good pieces here and things are moving in the right direction. It鈥檚 been a difficult year for sure (but) we鈥檒l be a better team and a better group next year with what we鈥檝e dealt with this year.鈥�
Pettersson, the 24-year-old silky centre from Sundsvall, Sweden, had career highs with 39 goals and 63 assists for 102 points. He joins Pavel Bure, Alexander Mogilny, Markus Naslund, Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin as the only Canucks to score 100 points in a season.
While his stats were eye-catching, Pettersson is most happy with how other parts of his game have improved. As he鈥檚 grown bigger and stronger, his defensive game has got better.
鈥淚鈥檓 super happy scoring a lot of points, but also super happy the way I鈥檝e been growing as a player, getting better two ways,鈥� he said.
鈥淚鈥檓 always trying to understand and look what I can do better, trying to get better every day.鈥�
Hughes broke his own record for points in a season by a Canuck defenceman with 69 assists and seven goals in 78 games. He鈥檚 followed a steady learning curve in his four years in the league.
鈥淎s a young defenceman, it鈥檚 really hard because you are trying to make plays, you have the puck on your stick a lot,鈥� Hughes said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e playing against really good lines.
鈥淢y second year I struggled defensively. A lot of guys go through that. As you continue to play in the league, you get more games, the more comfortable you feel. This year I took another step.鈥�
When Tocchet took over from the fired Bruce Boudreau on Jan. 22, he introduced a more structured system. The Canucks responded by going 20-12-4 down the stretch.
The team was also helped by the return of goaltender Thatcher Demko from injury.
The Canucks had a similar bounce last year when Boudreau replaced head coach Travis Green. With Boudreau, Vancouver went 32-15-10 to finish just five points out of the playoffs.
Pettersson believes Vancouver is building from a more solid foundation heading into next season.
鈥淭here was a lot of new faces this year,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ow we have played a season, we鈥檝e got to know everyone a little more. I like the direction we are headed. I鈥檓 excited for next year.鈥�
Pettersson, who is entering the final year of a three-year deal that will pay him over US$10 million next season, faces a decision. The Canucks can sign him to a contract extension this summer, or he could enter next season as a pending restricted free agent.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 thought too much about it to be honest,鈥� Pettersson said. 鈥淚 like to live in the moment and just take it day by day.
鈥淚 like it here.鈥�
The Canucks face some other personnel decisions.
Centre J.T. Miller signed a seven-year, US$56-million contract extension that begins next season. Miller had 82 points (32 goals, 50 assists) this season, down from his 99-point campaign in 2021-22. There is speculation the Canucks would be open to moving him to clear some salary cap room.
鈥淚鈥檓 pretty satisfied with the seven-year deal,鈥� said Miller. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a big worry for me.鈥�
Brock Boeser has been the subject of trade rumours all year. The 26-year-old forward had 18 goals and 37 assists but seemed to disappear some nights.
鈥淭o be completely honest with you I don鈥檛 want to be traded,鈥� said Boeser, who signed a three-year deal worth US$6.65 million a season last summer.
鈥淚t was a tough year. I think it鈥檚 kind of a blessing in disguise that I didn鈥檛 get traded. I really thought I started finding my game after the trade deadline. I think Tocchet has been great, the whole coaching staff has been great.鈥�
Pettersson and Hughes are blocks the Canucks can build on moving forward. Both showed their character in the final third of the season when they continued to produce even when the team鈥檚 playoff hopes had disappeared.
鈥淲e鈥檙e competitive guys,鈥� said Hughes. 鈥淲e want to try to be as good as we can. The last 20 games, it鈥檚 not easy to be playing when you鈥檙e not in the race.
鈥淢y motivation was trying to push myself and be as good as I can as a player. This summer I have a lot of ideas in my head on things I want to get better at. Hopefully that will continue to get me to be a better player next year.鈥�
鈥擩im Morris, The Canadian Press
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
