"talk is cheap" - Former Vancouver Canuck Jannik Hansen Gets Brutally Honest About Elias Pettersson's Comments
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Former Vancouver Canuck Jannik Hansen says Elias Pettersson needs to start showing results on the ice after his recent comments to the media.
After the team's practice on Tuesday, Elias Pettersson met with the media where he owned up to his struggles and said he wants to be the best version of himself in the final 22 games of the regular season.
"I haven't played to the expectation I have of myself or the franchise has on me. I'll be the first one to tell you that. But that's in the past. I just want to take these last 22 games, plus more hopefully, and play my best hockey." Pettersson said.
Jannik Hansen says Elias Pettersson needs to show results after recent comments
During an appearance on The People's Show on Sportsnet 650 radio, former Vancouver Canucks forward Jannik Hansen said that it's time for Elias Pettersson to start showing some production on the ice and that "talk is cheap".
"Talk is cheap. It's good to hear that he's not pointing blame or anything else, owning up to it. But we're at a point right now where he has to go win a game for Vancouver. They play Anaheim tomorrow. He has to be the reason they win or if they win and he's not the reason, okay I can live with it. But if they lose and he's got zeros across the stat line or whatever, it's not good enough." Hansen said.
He added, "It's good to hear that he's saying this. I'm assuming he's been aware of this for a long time now, that he hasn't been good enough, but we're at a point where he needs to show it. He needs to go out and do it. He needs to go out and prove. He needs to go out and produce. Then this becomes a whole other conversation with him owning up and all those things. But if it continues to be another five or six games and he's got two helpers in those games, well yeah it's good to hear that you say that you need to play better, but you aren't. So again, talk is cheap and you want to see results now. We're also in that part of the season where it's not enough to talk about process and progress. We need results now. You need to win the game in whatever way you can in order to put us in a better position."
He added, "It's good to hear that he's saying this. I'm assuming he's been aware of this for a long time now, that he hasn't been good enough, but we're at a point where he needs to show it. He needs to go out and do it. He needs to go out and prove. He needs to go out and produce. Then this becomes a whole other conversation with him owning up and all those things. But if it continues to be another five or six games and he's got two helpers in those games, well yeah it's good to hear that you say that you need to play better, but you aren't. So again, talk is cheap and you want to see results now. We're also in that part of the season where it's not enough to talk about process and progress. We need results now. You need to win the game in whatever way you can in order to put us in a better position."
Jannik Hansen has been critical of Elias Pettersson's play on several occasions this season and this time especially, he has a point.
The Vancouver Canucks have just 22 games left in the regular season, their captain Quinn Hughes is dealing with an injury and the team is two points back of the Calgary Flames for the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.
Rick Tocchet and the coaching staff need Elias Pettersson more than ever at this crucial point in the 2024-25 season and he has to get going offensively if the team has any hopes of not only making it to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but going on a deep run this spring.
Pettersson will look to turn things around tonight at home as the Vancouver Canucks welcome the Anaheim Ducks to Rogers Arena for a 7:30 pm PT puck drop on Sportsnet Pacific.
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