2 Young Canucks Are Showing Signs of Progress
There wasn't a happy ending for the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night, but there were a couple of individual performances worth noticing. Vancouver lost 3-2 in overtime to the Florida Panthers, yet Elias Pettersson and Liam Öhgren both found the net. For a team looking for players to step forward, those goals offer a little encouragement.
Pettersson, the Blueliner, Has Been a Pleasant Surprise.
Defenceman Elias Pettersson, 22, scored his third goal of the season. He also recorded two shots, two hits and two blocked shots. Through nine games, he has three goals, 10 shots, 17 hits and 15 blocked shots, along with a plus-6 rating.
The numbers suggest he's doing more than simply waiting for opportunities to score. He's getting regular top-four minutes, and he's played more than 20 minutes in two of his last three games. That's an encouraging sign for a young defenceman still finding his way at the NHL level.
Of course, nine games isn’t a season, and a good start is simply something to build on. It’s not proof that a player has arrived. But Pettersson is getting opportunities, and he's showing that he can contribute in different ways.
Related: Elias Pettersson Is Giving the Canucks a Reason for Optimism;
Öhgren Is Still Looking for Consistency.
Öhgren's situation is a little different. His goal against Florida snapped a five-game scoring drought, and he's now got two goals and three assists through nine games. He's playing in the middle six, where the Canucks need him to become a consistent contributor.
That's an important distinction. Vancouver doesn't need every young player to become a star overnight. It needs a few of them to become dependable NHL players who can handle their assignments, make plays and contribute often enough to help the team win. Öhgren has shown flashes, but consistency is the next step. One goal won't settle that question, just as one quiet stretch shouldn't define his season.
The Canucks’ Season Will Be One of Growth and Development.
The Canucks have plenty of work ahead, and an overtime loss doesn't suddenly become a success because two young players scored. Still, development doesn't always happen in big, obvious jumps. Sometimes it comes through regular minutes, a little confidence and a timely goal.
Pettersson and Öhgren have something to build on. Now comes the harder part: doing it again.