Canucks’ Pettersson focuses on turning season around amid trade noise

“Put pucks on the net and win games,” he said.

Pettersson spoke Sunday about what he needs to do better, but if he achieves those goals, it would certainly quiet the noise and dissipate the tension around the struggling star and his team.

After missing four games with an upper-body injury, Pettersson practiced with the Canucks on Sunday in Montreal and is expected to be a game-time decision when Vancouver opens a critical five-game road trip against the Canadiens.

It was his first practice and media availability since general manager Patrik Allvin told Sportsnet last week in a year-end interview that Pettersson needs to understand that things only get tougher in the NHL and that the 26 years “hasn’t really done anything.” accomplished anything” even despite signing a $92.8 million contract extension with the Canucks last season.

In a brief private interview on Sunday, Pettersson said he was not bothered by Allvin’s comments.

“I know I can do better,” Pettersson said. “I’ll be the first to say it and I never think things get easier.

“I haven’t had the start (to the season) that I wanted. At the end of the day, I have expectations from the club and, obviously, I have not met them yet. But I mean, it doesn’t matter what people say. “I know what I can do and that’s what I’m focusing on.”

Pettersson was injured in the Canucks’ final pre-Christmas game after scoring twice in a 4-3 win over the San Jose Sharks.

The goals ended a six-game scoreless streak for the NHL’s fifth-highest-paid player and gave Pettersson 10 goals and 18 assists in 34 games this season. Since signing the largest contract in franchise history last March 2, after the Canucks pressured Pettersson to make a long-term commitment before the NHL trade deadline, the Swede has produced just 16 goals and 48 points in 67 games, including last season’s playoffs.

Allvin also said in last week’s interview that “anything is possible” when it comes to trades, and Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman reported Saturday that the Canucks are “definitely looking at the market” for both Pettersson and his teammate. JT Miller team.

Pettersson has heard a lot during his six and a half seasons in Vancouver. But unlike Miller, he has rarely been at the epicenter of trade speculation.

“I’m aware of it, I’ve heard it,” Pettersson told us. “But then I ask myself: can I control it? No. So that’s where I am. I’m trying not to think about it. But I’m sure it will go away if I play better and we win.”

Does he want to stay with the Canucks?

“Yes, of course,” he said. “That’s why I signed here. Of course.”

The Canucks have survived a dramatic Netflix season through 38 games, losing each of their top six players multiple games at a time. Vancouver is 18-12-8 and still clinging to the Western Conference’s final wild-card playoff spot, although the team has lost contact in the standings with Pacific Division rivals Edmonton, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

On this trip, the Canucks face formidable teams in Washington, Carolina, Toronto and Winnipeg. And even the Canadiens aren’t such a pushover, as they’ve won seven of their last nine games and just returned from their own five-game coast-to-coast (almost) trip that included wins in Florida, Tampa, Vegas and Colorado . .

If Pettersson doesn’t play tonight, he is expected to return to the lineup in Washington on Wednesday. Star defenseman Quinn Hughes also practiced Sunday and is day-to-day, and injured goalie Thatcher Demko is on the road, although Kevin Lankinen is expected to start tonight for the Canucks.

“I always try to be the best player I can be in every game,” Pettersson said. “Some games are going to be better than others (but) every day is a new day and now that I’m back playing, I’m excited.

“I’m trying not to live in the past. Obviously, I wish I had played a lot better. I wish I had played a lot of better games. But I’ve tried to learn not to play too much in the past and just try to focus on what I can do best. What happened in the past and my game doesn’t matter; “I’m just trying to look toward the future.”

The Canucks announced Monday morning that winger Dakota Joshua was placed on injured reserve and top prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki was recalled from the American Hockey League.

After missing the first month of the season due to testicular cancer, Joshua was injured in Friday’s 3-0 home loss against Nashville when teammate Teddy Blueger hit predator Roman Josi into Joshua’s legs from behind.

During a five-game call-up in November, Lekkerimaki scored a goal. The 20-year-old winger has 12 goals in 21 games with the Abbotsford Canucks this season.

Key Canuck defenseman Filip Hronek is expected to miss another 3-4 weeks with a suspected shoulder injury suffered in November.