Despite the turmoil the Vancouver Canucks have been going through this season, center Elias Pettersson is managing to play the best hockey of his career.
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On Saturday, the Swede beat the Philadelphia Flyers with five points, including two goals, in a 6-2 win.
Despite playing just 54 games in 2022-23, the fifth overall winner of the 2017 auction has already set a new personal best in single-season points with 71 points.
“Obviously that’s what I had in mind,” admitted Pettersson, whose comments were picked up by NHL.com. But I’m glad we won the game.”
“I think he’s starting to learn how to be a leader,” said head coach Rick Tocchet.
Although he was already playing with panache despite the storm that accompanied Bruce Boudreau’s sacking, the number 40 seems more confident than ever since being paired with Andrei Kuzmenko and Anthony Beauvillier on the front row of “Nucks”. .
“We try to play fast,” said Pettersson. We play well when the three of us are together. We want to improve every day and every game.”
Additionally, since being traded from the New York Islanders, Beauvillier has upped his game level. He scored four goals and six points in seven games, in an average of 19:11. by meeting at the ice rink.
A first for a former Lions
Between the Canucks’ posts, the injury to Thatcher Demko and the absences of Spencer Martin and Collin Delia opened the door to an unlikely candidate: Latvia’s Arturs Silovs.
The 21-year-old former Vancouver sixth-round pick was loaned to the Trois-Rivières Lions last season. He had excelled in 10 duels with the Montreal Canadiens, posting a .920 saving ratio and a 6-3-1 record.
After becoming the 736th ex-ECHL player to play in a Bettman Tour game Wednesday, Silovs scored his first win with the Canucks over the Flyers.
“It’s a great feeling,” he said happily after deflecting 35 pucks. I worked hard for that.”
“We need positive stories on this team,” Tocchet concluded. There was enough negativism.”