The Vancouver Canucks are two wins away from the Western Conference Finals. But head coach Rick Tocchet hasn't been entirely pleased with his team. Especially following their Game 4 second-round loss to the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. One of the players under fire from the Vancouver bench boss is star forward Elias Pettersson.

From the outside looking in, that's a bit surprising. Pettersson is one of the team's best players. He scored 89 points in 2023-24 after crossing the 100-point mark the year before. But the Canucks forward has struggled in the Stanley Cup Playoffs to this point. He has just four points in 10 games so far. And his goal in Game 2 against the Oilers is his only goal of the postseason.

“He sends a message to the group that we all need to be better, and obviously myself I know I can be better,” Pettersson said of Tocchet's remarks, via NHL.com. “I'm trying out there, maybe not going the best way right now, but I'm trying. I want to win.”

Rick Tocchet demands more from Elias Pettersson

Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (40) handles the puck against the Edmonton Oilers during the third period in game two of the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Arena.
Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports

Pettersson could certainly do more on the offensive end of the ice. Through 10 games, he has an expected goals for percentage of 46.53%. Furthermore, none of his three assists are recorded as primary assists. Simply put, he isn't having a big impact offensively. And Tocchet wants the Canucks star to turn things up a notch.

“With ‘Petey,’ all fairness to him, I'm not sure he's getting sometimes the help he needs,” Tocchet said, via NHL.com. “But saying that, I think he still can drive play a little bit better. I think he can still, when the puck comes to him, move his feet and be more dynamic. He's got the skill set, so I think that's a two-part question.”

Pettersson has heard the criticism from his head coach. He knows he needs to be better in order to help his team. And he is not shying away from the demands made by Tocchet after Game 4. “It's challenged me, but I always said I like challenges and I always like to think I've answered them,” the Canucks star, via NHL.com. “I like the challenge, but yeah, it's been a tough one.”

Canucks, Oilers going back and forth

The Canucks certainly need Elias Pettersson to kick it into gear soon. Vancouver came back to win Game 1 and took Game 3 to get out to a 2-1 series lead. However, the Oilers stormed back in their own right. A late goal from Brock Boeser seemed to promise overtime on Tuesday. But Edmonton found a game-winner with less than 40 seconds remaining to tie the series.

Now, the two teams are in a best-of-three showdown for a spot in the Western Conference Finals. The Canucks have home-ice advantage as Games 5 and 7 are at Rogers Arena. But the Oilers are comfortable playing on the road in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They have won three of their four road contests this postseason.

The Canucks are looking for their first Western Conference Finals appearance since 2011. Edmonton, meanwhile, is looking for their second appearance in the Western Conference Finals in three seasons. Vancouver is the last Canadian team to make the Stanley Cup Final, doing so in 2011.

Rick Tocchet and his team need Pettersson to step it up. And Pettersson is focused on turning his game around with so much on the line. “I want to be the difference-maker, and it hasn't gone obviously the way I want it to be, but at the end of the day, I can't dwell on it too much. We have a game tomorrow. I'm going to try to do my best and that's where my head is at,” the Canucks star said, via NHL.com.