Just in: A standout Canucks forward takes an unplanned vacation
On Sunday night, the Canucks lost to the Nashville Predators 5-3, and J.T. Miller played a career-low 11:41.
Star forward J.T. Miller, who was benched by Rick Tocchet at the conclusion of Sunday’s 5-3 defeat to the Nashville Predators, has sought and been granted an indefinite personal leave of absence, the Vancouver Canucks said on Tuesday.
Prior to the Nashville loss, Miller, 31, had a three-game point run in which he had four assists and one goal. With six goals, 10 assists, and 16 points in 17 games this season, Miller has mostly lived up to his typically high level of performance. Miller’s current scoring rate, however, puts him on course to finish the season with 77 points in 82 games, which would be the least productive of his four previous Canucks seasons.
However, Miller is by no means solely to blame for the poor start. Despite their respectable overall record, the Canucks have not been a very strong team as a whole. Depressing outcomes have ensued when Kevin Lankinen, the temporary starting goaltender, started to falter.
Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal stated on Tuesday that the team does not anticipate J.T. Miller to be sidelined for an extended period of time.
We hope J.T. can get his head back in the correct frame of mind to play the amazing hockey we are all accustomed to watching, and we wish him the best as he works through some of his current problems. Everybody has rough days and occasionally needs a break.not anticipated to
The NHL Media website reports that Elias Pettersson, a defenceman with the Abbotsford Canucks (AHL), has been called up by the Vancouver Canucks. Elias Pettersson should not be confused with this. Derek Forbort, a defender, has been placed on injured reserve in a related transaction.
Since an away game against the San Jose Sharks on November 2, Forbort, 32, has not appeared for the Canucks. Since Forbort has already missed seven days of activity, he can return to the lineup as soon as he is ready, assuming he was placed on injured reserve retrospectively.
The 20-year-old Pettersson is fascinating. Pettersson is in the middle of his first full season of hockey in North America after being selected in the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft, 80th overall. During the previous season, Pettersson participated in eight games for Abbotsford and contributed two assists. This season, the 20-year-old has participated in 15 more AHL games and contributed four more assists.
Elias Pettersson’s impact on the Canucks’ defense
Will Pettersson play now that he’s jumped so quickly to the NHL? What would he provide the Canucks that they don’t currently have if he plays?
Pettersson, who stands six feet three and weighs 200 pounds, offers the Canucks a special combination of size and skating prowess. Pettersson already knows how to use his height and speed to kill plays and get the puck going in the opposite direction, and he can play with roughness when necessary.
The Canucks now have eight defenseman on the roster after adding Pettersson, but it’s conceivable that a lineup change is in order. Erik Brannstrom has performed admirably in a restricted position, but neither Vincent Desharnais nor Noah Juulsen have stepped up.
We may infer that Pettersson is most likely to make his NHL debut in a bottom-pairing position with Brannstrom, assuming that Tyler Myers, Filip Hronek, Quinn Hughes, and Carson Soucy are all roster certainties when healthy. be permanently absent from the team. Dhaliwal said on X, “Hearing JT Miller leave is about a player who needs a re-set.” “Needs time and space.”
