If Rick Tocchet had remained the coach of the Vancouver Canucks, he had intended to travel to Sweden during the offseason to spend time with Elias Pettersson. The goal was to strengthen their bond and establish clear expectations for the upcoming season.
Tocchet`s decision this week to leave the team ensured that a potential conflict between the coach and the player—whose conditioning and subpar performance were significant factors in the team`s struggles—was avoided.
Despite the issues, Tocchet was prepared to work with Pettersson. While it`s difficult to gauge the thoughts of the reserved center, there`s a belief that Pettersson maintained respect for the coach and is motivated to improve in the upcoming season.
Although Pettersson wasn`t the direct cause of Tocchet`s departure, the coaching staff`s dissatisfaction with the Canucks` top earner means Pettersson will still face significant pressure to perform well for the next coach.
Pettersson`s performance led to disappointment among several teammates, not just J.T. Miller. He will need to regain considerable trust to see out his eight-year, $92.8 million contract with Vancouver. As GM Patrik Allvin indicated at his recent year-end media availability, stating he`d “be stupid not to keep [his] options open,” a trade involving Pettersson before July 1st remains a possibility. While not the most probable or desired scenario for the Canucks, its potential mirrors the unexpected nature of a potential Miller trade.
Similarly, Tocchet`s decision to leave was also unexpected.
