What's Going on with EP40?

The dust has settled. JT Miller is gone with a package of new players coming back the Canucks way. Was the return overwhelming? No. But it was a deal that needed to be done for a number of reasons. One of the biggest reasons was Elias Pettersson (EP40). It was becoming very clear that there was no room for both Miller and Petey on this version of the Canucks. One of them had to be "the guy" and Canucks management decided on EP40.

There's been a lot of intrigue and excitement to see how Petey does now that he's got the reins. The early results have not looked good. Now, the fact that Quinn Hughes is out of the lineup has to be factored in, but we've yet to see EP40 be the best player on the ice any given night. In fact, we've yet to really see him do anything of significance. Some point to the alleged tendinitis, others, the constant line juggling. Realistically, it seems like Petey is simply overthinking the game.

In watching him night in and night out there are a few things I've noticed. Firstly- his over-emphasis on positional play. He is extremely in tune with where he is supposed to be on the ice...to a fault. There's a clear lack of flow to his game. He's not processing through instinct like superstar players do. He's thinking about where he's supposed to be. I've even noticed he'll get to that spot before the opposing players have made a move. A testament to his natural hockey IQ but instead of reacting he's now overreacting. Too many times a quick shift or a pass ends up beating two Canucks forecheckers with Petey being one of them. Petey should be pressuring with moving feet, not waiting for them to make a move but forcing them to make one.

Secondly, is his shot release. Petey has always had a lethal shot. He's the type of shooter that goalies struggle to control rebounds on. Even if it hits a glove or a chest it rarely stays there and will often turn into second or third rebound opportunities. That velocity is a weapon. For whatever reason, Petey is unwilling to unleash it. Even when he does he tends to hold on too long and either let the goalie set up or a d-man get a stick in the way. I think some work on his release could go a long way. He has enough power that even a quick, off-balance snap will beat a goalie clean. He's allowing defenders and goalies to set up and see it coming too often.

Lastly, and maybe the most simplest fix of all: he needs to move his feet. Skate, skate, skate. There's no buzz to his game like an 11.6 million dollar play should have. I want to see a sense of danger when he's on the ice. You watch a guy like Nathan Mackinnon, Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl and they are puck magnets. The puck seems to find them. Do we ever get that sense watching Petey anymore? I appreciate when he moves his feet and throws the body around but we don't need him laying the body out. We pay the Kiefer Sherwoods of the world to do that. He needs to move his feet to disrupt plays and turnover pucks. A player of his talent (and paycheque) should strike fear when you see him come towards you. It's been too often seeing a middling, third pair defenseman step around a gliding Petey with ease.

The good news is, these are all fixable issues. A little bit of confidence can go a long way and if this coaching staff can figure out how to get through to Petey it could be an injection of life into this team. He's still only 26- it's easy to forget that. The real tell will be seeing how he does once he starts gobbling up all those Hughes minutes that Miller was getting. If Petey still struggles with a world-level talent like Hughes then we can hit the panic button. Only time will tell...