The Vancouver Canucks have lost four of their last seven games after their hot start to the regulation. However, it isn’t time for the team to panic as they still sit second in the Pacific Division and fourth in the league with their 13-6-1 record.
What the Canucks do need is their top line to produce. The club has been getting points from their top players, Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, and Brock Boeser, for most of the season. However, Pettersson and his linemates, Andrei Kuzmenko and Ilya Mikheyev, have slowed down lately. Over the past seven games, the trio has combined for eight points. Four of those eight points have come at even strength, and the trio has combined for one goal over the seven-game stretch. Head coach Rick Tocchet commented on the lines play.
“That line has to push the pace. I don’t like the word slow, but they’re trying to play too methodically. They have parts of their game that are like ‘wow’, but they have to push the pace.”
If all three players can start to produce, the Canucks can get back to their winning ways. The team has received continued production from Hughes and Miller, while Pettersson has slowed down.
Is Pettersson Injured?
A few weeks ago, Pettersson missed a few practices, and Tocchet mentioned the forward had been playing through a minor injury. This leads to a few questions. Is he still playing through an injury, and has that injury gotten worse?
Tocchet commented on Pettersson’s injury on Nov. 1. From the season opener on Oct. 11 to Nov. 1, Pettersson scored five goals and posted 16 points in nine games. From Nov. 1 to Nov. 11, the Swede scored two goals and posted 11 points in five games, with five points coming at even strength. Since then, he has slowed down, scoring one goal and posting four points in seven games. Based on his recent struggles to produce, there is a good chance the forward is still dealing with an injury, and it could have worsened over the past few weeks.
When Pettersson is at his best, he can lead his line by himself by creating plays and finishing on scoring opportunities. He showed that early this season, as he led the league in points for a bit. If he is truly dealing with an injury that he can play through, then his linemates will have to step up until he is healthy.
Kuzmenko Struggling to Score
Kuzmenko is the player who needs to improve the most. After tying Pettersson for a team-leading 39 goals last season and signing a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $5.5 million. In his second NHL season, he has struggled to replicate the same success.
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His regression was expected as he had a 27.3 shooting percentage (S%). However, he still scored more goals in the first 19 games of the 2022-23 season compared to 2023-24, while his S% wasn’t as high. Kuzmenko scored eight goals and posted 16 points last season, compared to the three goals and 14 points this season. Additionally, he shot at a 17.8 S% compared to the 10.7 S% this year while taking 45 shots compared to the 28 he has taken this season. Therefore, shooting the puck more could solve the Russian forwards’ scoring troubles.
The Canucks extended the forward and recognized him as one of their top forwards and now need him to turn it up. The bright side to Kuzmenko’s game is he is creating plays on the ice with 11 assists. Additionally, he has looked dangerous at times over the past few games. It seems as if after he scores a goal, more will follow.
Mikheyev’s Recovery From Surgery
The Canucks shut down Mikheyev mid-way through his first season with the club as he underwent ACL surgery. He returned four games into the season and impressed in his first 10 games. Mikheyev showed off his speed and two-way skill while scoring five goals and posting eight points, all at even strength.
Similar to his linemates, he has struggled over the past seven games. Mikheyev is the only one of the three with a goal and has two points, all at even strength. Additionally, he and Pettersson are great two-way forwards but have given up goals against while on the ice. Mikheyev is a minus-6, Pettersson is a minus-8, while Kuzmenko is a minus-4. The line needs to keep the puck out of their own net before they can start scoring, and Mikheyev is the player who will have to lead the way.
Canucks Top Line Crucial to Success
Based on how Pettersson, Kuzmenko, and Mikheyev played at the start of the season and how dominant the Canucks seemed, it is evident the impact the trio has on the team’s success. Pettersson started off hot, but a potential injury may be slowing him down, while Kuzmenko’s goals are down, and he isn’t shooting nearly as much as he is expected to. Mikheyev could be the key to bringing life to the line and helping them get back on track. If the trio can get back on track, the Canucks will be back to playing as they have to start the season. Otherwise, it might be time for Tocchet to make a change to the line.
