Canucks Conversation: Hronek’s Injury, Trade Talk, and Pettersson’s Resurgence
On today’s episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Harman Dayal were joined by Rinkwide’s Jeff Paterson to discuss the Vancouver Canucks’ road trip, the impact of Filip Hronek’s injury, trade scenarios, and Elias Pettersson’s improving form.
The Canucks received a clearer timeline on Filip Hronek’s injury, with the defenceman expected to miss eight weeks. JPat weighed in on what this means for the team moving forward.
“If he gets back before the four nations faceoff, that’s a bonus for the Canucks,” JPat remarked. “There is a bit of a cushion on the back end of this if it takes him longer, with the league shutting down for two weeks. It paints a better picture now for what the Canucks are up against in terms of moving forward without their second-best defenceman.”
Hronek’s absence creates challenges as the Canucks face tougher stretches of the schedule.
“This road trip has shown it’s not going to be easy,” JPat continued. “They’ve found ways to grind out victories, but they haven’t all looked pretty. These close games are fine for now, but they’re also going to face stiffer competition soon.
“In January, there’s a stretch where they face a bunch of top teams in a row, most of them on the road. That’s going to be difficult. You might be able to get by in Boston and win 2-0 on the back of Kevin Lankinen, but there are teams out there who can score, and if they play the same way, they’re not going to win very often.
“So much of their success on this road schedule is based on the fact they haven’t played a lot of good teams. They don’t have to apologize for that, but when you’re playing lower in the standings, the margins are wider. When you start playing top teams like the Wild, this will be a huge test. End of a road trip, Kirill Kaprizov leads the NHL in scoring, and this Minnesota team gives up nothing. If the Canucks get power plays, they’re going to have to find a way to strike.”
JPat explained how the Canucks’ continued success has eased pressure on management to make a trade, despite the injuries and lineup challenges.
“Every win they bank takes a little more pressure off them,” JPat explained. “You’re keeping pace with the top teams in the division, which takes away some of the urgency. If they were falling behind, maybe that changes the dynamic, but through all the injuries and moving parts, they’re right there in the division race.
“Not that Patrik Allvin has been a really patient guy during his time at the helm, but it allows him to be a little more [patient]. They’re going to get Thatcher Demko back at some point, but we were also expecting him to make an appearance on that California trip a month ago.
“I assume we’ll see Demko on the homestand, and I think management wants to use that as a baseline. See what kind of boost Demko brings to the team and how quickly he can get back up to speed. The front office won’t feel a ton of pressure right now to go make some sort of trade to save the season.”
Elias Pettersson continues to show signs of returning to his elite form, tallying 17 points in his last 15 games. JPat highlighted the significance of Pettersson’s resurgence.
“He’s getting there; better than a point a game in November,” JPat noted. “Three primary helpers the other day in Detroit. I loved the fact he took on Justin Holl one-on-one on the entry. We haven’t seen Pettersson try to dangle someone in forever, so that tells me his confidence is ramping up.
“A three-assist night used to be an average night for him, but we haven’t seen that production in a while. Now, we’re starting to see the multi-point games return. The fact he had three primary assists means he’s finding ways to leave fingerprints on the scoresheet — not just a play here and there.
“Outside of Quinn Hughes and Jake DeBrusk, Petey is right there with Lankinen and [Conor] Garland for best performers on the road trip. When they needed those guys to step up, it’s good to see Pettersson delivering. Hopefully, there’s more to come.”
You can watch the full segment below.
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