Canucks' Tyler Myers gets 100% real about Elias Pettersson-J.T. Miller 'crazy' drama

The Vancouver Canucks had a tough 2024-25 season, and part of the trouble came from inside the team. Forward Elias Pettersson and veteran J.T. Miller did not get along, and it affected the group. Tyler Myers, one of the team’s leaders, spoke about the issue on Wednesday's episode of "The Cam & Strick Podcast."

“It got pretty crazy just publicly last year, way more than what it was,” Myers said.

He said players still came to the rink and worked hard. He admitted there was tension, but nothing unusual for a hockey team.

“You just try and bridge the gap whenever needed,” Myers said.

The team tried to fix things between Miller and Pettersson, but it didn’t work. In January, Vancouver traded Miller to the New York Rangers. The trade ended Miller’s six-year stay with the Canucks.

Miller, drafted by the Rangers in 2011, had 22 goals and 48 assists last season. He played 40 games before being traded. He had strong numbers but was no longer a fit in Vancouver’s dressing room.

After Miller left, Elias Pettersson’s play improved. He had 10 points in 11 games before a season-ending injury. He finished the season with 45 points in 64 games. It was one of the lowest point totals of his career.

Vancouver gave Pettersson the space he needed to lead. Myers said the locker room handled the situation calmly. He added that every team has different personalities and some clashes are normal.

“It wasn’t something that the guys were freaking out about,” Myers said. “You just handle those things in stride. It doesn’t need to be anything crazy.”

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Elias Pettersson admitted that pressure and injury affected his 2024-25 season

On July 9, Elias Pettersson spoke to NHL.com and shared more details about his year. He said his mindset was off at the start of the season.

“Maybe it was that early in the season I had the wrong attitude,” Pettersson said. “I thought, 'Now I've signed a big contract, and now I have to do more,' instead of just being myself.”

He also said a knee injury last summer hurt his training.

"I had a knee injury last summer and that hindered a lot of my training," he added.

Elias Pettersson said he tried to do too much after signing a new contract. Instead of playing his game, he put extra pressure on himself.

About the author

Abhilasha is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda. Holding a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, her interest in writing hockey was piqued after watching an NHL skills video on YouTube. The 2023 Stanley Cup Finale series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers was among the most iconic games she has seen and it left an impact on her.

Her reporting strengths include covering news stories and following stars like McDavid, Matthews and Alex Ovechkin, among others.

Abhilasha is a huge fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche because of their skilled forwards, while her favorite players include Wayne Gretzky, Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Connor Bedard. For her, John Tortorella is the greatest coach ever.

Abhilasha has over 3 years of experience writing content for different products and websites, along with handling social media content for various brands. She values using credible sources when writing and likes to identify fake and false narratives.

Abhilasha’s hobbies include spiritual reading, staying updated on the latest makeup trends, fitness and exploring new destinations through travel.

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Edited by Victor R. Lopez M.