Canucks News & Rumours: Defensive Woes and a Pettersson Bright Spot

The Vancouver Canucks aren’t making life easy on themselves. Sunday’s 6-2 loss to the New York Rangers was another tough night, and Vancouver has now lost the first three games of a six-game road trip, surrendering 17 goals while scoring five during that stretch. It’s hard to win many hockey games when you’re giving up goals at that rate.

Still, not everything has been discouraging. Elias Pettersson is showing some encouraging signs, and his early-season production should give fans something to feel good about. It’s too early to say he’s back to his old self, but there are reasons to be hopeful. The question is whether a few positive individual developments can help a team that has significant problems to sort out.

Canucks’ Defensive Problems Are Getting Harder to Ignore

The biggest concern right now is keeping the puck out of the net. Vancouver has allowed at least five goals in four of its first seven games and surrendered 35 overall, the most in the NHL. They have also been outscored 7-2 in the first period on their road trip. When you’re regularly chasing games, everything becomes harder. The forwards start pressing, the defence spends too much time under pressure, and the goaltenders are left trying to make one more save than they should.

Head coach Manny Malhotra knows the team has to respond. After another loss, he acknowledged that watching the defeats pile up isn’t a great feeling, but he also challenged his players to show some character. “The test of our character at this point is to make sure we’re coming to the rink with the right attitude, ready to work,” Malhotra said.

Coaches can only do so much talking, though. The Canucks need to show improvement on the ice, starting with their defensive play and their ability to start games on more even terms. They’ll get another opportunity Tuesday against the New York Islanders, who have also struggled to get off to good starts. Vancouver doesn’t need to solve everything in one night, but it needs to give itself a better chance to win.

Elias Pettersson Is Giving Canucks Fans a Reason for Hope

Amid all the frustration, Pettersson’s start has been a welcome surprise. Through seven games, he has two goals and six assists, matching the hottest five-game start of his career. He’s also a plus-2 on a team that has surrendered 35 goals, and his 26 hits suggest he’s bringing a little more bite to his game. After the questions surrounding him over the past couple of seasons, that’s encouraging.

The numbers are one thing, but the way he’s playing is just as interesting. Pettersson looks more confident, more comfortable, and more engaged. He appears to be enjoying the game again, and sometimes that’s where a turnaround begins. He’s not necessarily back to the player who put up 100 points, and questions about his skating remain, but this is some of his best hockey in several seasons.

If Pettersson can keep it going, it could help the Canucks build something. They need dependable offence, especially as they try to sort out their defensive problems and build toward the future. A productive Pettersson would ease pressure on the younger players and give the team a more reliable offensive foundation. It’s too early to declare his $11.6-million cap hit a bargain, but a sustained comeback would certainly change the conversation.

What’s Next for the Canucks?

Tuesday’s game against the Islanders is an opportunity for Vancouver to stop the bleeding. New York has struggled to get started, too, so the Canucks must take advantage and come out with more energy and avoid falling behind early. A better defensive effort would be a good place to start. Nobody expects this team to fix everything overnight, but it has to show that it can learn from its mistakes.

And here’s the other thing: Pettersson’s encouraging start is worth enjoying, even if the team keeps struggling. One player can’t fix everything, and seven games don’t tell us how the rest of the season will unfold. But if Pettersson is finding his confidence again, that’s a positive development. The Canucks have plenty of work ahead of them. But it would be nice if fans started to see a few more reasons to believe the work is going somewhere.