The Vancouver Canucks are still waiting for a few things on their Christmas list, as forward Elias Pettersson and defenceman Quinn Hughes was absent from Friday’s practice.
Pettersson exited early in the third period of their game against the San Jose Sharks. The 25-year-old was having a great game before his departure. He scored his first multi-goal game since March 19th of the 2023-24 season, including a vintage Pettersson snipe from the half-wall on the power play.
What a shot by Petey 🎯
🎥: Amazon Prime | NHL#Canucks #TheFutureIsTeal pic.twitter.com/IRzJ7rSQdx
— CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) December 24, 2024
Rick Tocchet gave an update on Pettersson, per the Athletic’s Harman Dayal on X: “Pettersson got banged up, tried for one more shift and didn’t feel right. Tocchet added that he doesn’t think the injury is too bad, especially with the holiday break coming up.”
It’s been a streaky season for the Swedish centreman. His numbers as a whole on the season look encouraging, with 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points with a minus-3 rating. However, looking under the hood, it’s a tale of three seasons through just 34 games.
Throughout the first 12 games, Pettersson had just two goals and three assists for five points. Through the following 12 games, he found his touch by scoring six goals and 15 assists for 21 points. And until he scored twice last game, he was on a six-game pointless streak with a minus-5 rating.
Hughes on the other hand has been the model of consistency this season. He currently leads the team with 42 points, trailing only Cale Makar in points by a defenceman who has three more but in two more games.
The Canucks captain was a game-time decision ahead of Friday’s game with what Tocchet described as a hand injury. However, he did suit up and made his presence felt, tallying two assists.
The Canucks have one more game on their homestand, a matinee match against the Seattle Kraken on Saturday, followed by a two-game road trip against the Calgary Flames and Kraken. And later in January, they are really going to need Pettersson and Hughes’ services as they have a tough six-game stretch all against playoff teams: The Washington Capitals, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers.