Bruce Boudreau Exposes the Rift Between JT Miller And Elias Pettersson With Revealing Comments
Photo credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson seem to be involved in a feud with the latest rumors swirling, and former coach Bruce Boudreau just confirmed it's true.
Despite the challenges of this stretch, things were starting to look up for the Vancouver Canucks.
They'd hung in there without their Vezina-caliber goaltender Thatcher Demko, top-pairing right-shot D Filip Hronek, and last season's leading scorer, J.T. Miller.
With Filip Hronek out long-term, it was assumed that once Thatcher Demko and J.T. Miller returned, order would be restored. It hasn't quite been that way.
After some lackluster showings, the scorching hot topic that has bubbled up through the marketplace is this: a potential rift between the Canucks' top two centers, Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller.
Which is why former Vancouver head coach Bruce Boudreau did just that when he joined TSN's 'OverDrive' this week and signaled it is an ongoing dynamic, even dating back to his time in charge as head coach.
«Well, I mean, the easy thing would be to say yes,» Boudreau said when asked if this rumoured feud is a problem that the team needs to address.
«It is a problem. And I knew they had a little bit of a problem between them before I got there. But I thought that was all straightened out and everything. So, I'm hoping it was a coincidence.
What I think the point production wise, is that Miller was always getting [Brock] Boeser and [Conor] Garland - this was before [Jake] DeBrusk starting scoring - and you'd end up [with] Petey getting [Ilya] Mikheyev and [Dakota] Joshua as a line.
So I think the line discrepancies in Vancouver, scoring-wise, he didn't have the wingers he needed to score. Like, when he was getting 100 points the year with me, he was playing the wing with Miller and Boeser, or he was playing the wing with [Bo] Horvat.
So, I think a lot of it has to do with who he's playing with and how good the rate of the power play is going with him.
I don't want to find out whether they're having a problem with each other. Because I think they're both great players, and it shouldn't be happening.
But I'm one of those guys that wants to dig my head in the sand right now and not know if they hate each other. It's one of those things.
Like I said, you get attached to players when you coach them, and I like those two guys a lot and don't want to think one is being a real butt-head to the other one.»
- Bruce Boudreau
«It is a problem. And I knew they had a little bit of a problem between them before I got there. But I thought that was all straightened out and everything. So, I'm hoping it was a coincidence.
What I think the point production wise, is that Miller was always getting [Brock] Boeser and [Conor] Garland - this was before [Jake] DeBrusk starting scoring - and you'd end up [with] Petey getting [Ilya] Mikheyev and [Dakota] Joshua as a line.
So I think the line discrepancies in Vancouver, scoring-wise, he didn't have the wingers he needed to score. Like, when he was getting 100 points the year with me, he was playing the wing with Miller and Boeser, or he was playing the wing with [Bo] Horvat.
So, I think a lot of it has to do with who he's playing with and how good the rate of the power play is going with him.
I don't want to find out whether they're having a problem with each other. Because I think they're both great players, and it shouldn't be happening.
But I'm one of those guys that wants to dig my head in the sand right now and not know if they hate each other. It's one of those things.
Like I said, you get attached to players when you coach them, and I like those two guys a lot and don't want to think one is being a real butt-head to the other one.»
- Bruce Boudreau
While it isn't clear what might be causing friction between the two highest-paid players, the pronounced contrast in their respective on-ice performances of late has not gone unnoticed.
In the 10 games Miller missed, Pettersson had recorded points in eight contests, including six multi-point efforts, racking up 15 points in all.
Since Miller's return, though, the talented Swede has been held pointless in four games, posting a minus-three rating.
His line hasn't scored a 5-on-5 goal during this time and the two have even rotated spots on the top power-play unit in consecutive games.
Boudreau gave an assessment of how to control and eliminate locker-room conflicts. He also provided his comments regarding how the Canucks are able to move forward from this scenario.
«Well, if there's a rift in the locker room, it's up to the coach in all of these situations. I know the coach is the easy one to move but it's up to him to read the room.
And if something is wrong, to fix it and to fix the room and bring the guys in and talk to them about it. Vancouver's not doing too bad; they're 16-9 right now.
They haven't played as well as their record would indicate from last year, but [Thatcher] Demko just looked like he's starting to get going [with] the way he looked last game.
I anticipate them to really turn on a pretty good streak and contend for the Pacific Division. But it hasn't happened yet, so we all want to surmise that certain things are happening, whereas I don't think they are.
I hope JT Miller, for example, when he took his month off, I hope it was for him to get back together. And I hope Petey is back to playing the way he can cause he's a great hockey player.»
- Bruce Boudreau
And if something is wrong, to fix it and to fix the room and bring the guys in and talk to them about it. Vancouver's not doing too bad; they're 16-9 right now.
They haven't played as well as their record would indicate from last year, but [Thatcher] Demko just looked like he's starting to get going [with] the way he looked last game.
I anticipate them to really turn on a pretty good streak and contend for the Pacific Division. But it hasn't happened yet, so we all want to surmise that certain things are happening, whereas I don't think they are.
I hope JT Miller, for example, when he took his month off, I hope it was for him to get back together. And I hope Petey is back to playing the way he can cause he's a great hockey player.»
- Bruce Boudreau
The Canucks, in closing a two-game quickie road trip tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights, seek to earn a win and, if all goes well, witness the much-needed chemistry and better productivity of their top two centers.
Previously on Bladeofsteel
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 21 | 171 ANSWERS Bruce Boudreau Exposes the Rift Between JT Miller And Elias Pettersson With Revealing Comments Will the Canucks have to trade either JT Miller or Elias Pettersson? | ||
| Yes | 143 | 83.6 % |
| No | 28 | 16.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
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