<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Welcome back to Stars of the Week at <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/">CanucksArmy</a>! Every week, we’ll be bringing you our Top Three best and brightest performers on the Vancouver Canucks that week. Disagree with our picks or have your own stars to nominate? Let us know in the comments below!</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s that time of year again. The winter blues are put out of our minds as the birds chirp, the sun beams down, and the daffodils begin to emerge from the once-frozen ground. Spring is coming into bloom. Meanwhile, the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations">Vancouver Canucks</a> are blooming far, far too late. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The team has overall looked much stronger over the last week than they have in quite some time. Other than their lacklustre outing against the Montreal Canadiens, which was frankly Filip Hronek versus the Habs for an entire game, and last night’s forgettable <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/stanchies-no-puck-luck-vancouver-canucks-st-paddys-game">Utah Hockey Club disaster class</a>. The puck luck may not be on their side, but if they’re shooting and firing on all other cylinders, it can almost make up for a lack of scoring. The key word here is &#8220;almost.&#8221; It’s about visible effort, regardless of whether they’re able to string together multiple subsequent wins or not. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If only they had this visible effort consistently since they returned from the 4 Nations break, it would make their quest to secure the final Wild Card spot in the West a little less futile. Desperation can either crush spirits or lead teams to untapped levels of motivation. It’s up to the Canucks whether they choose the latter or the former.</span></p>
<h1>Elias Pettersson</h1>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">How can I not select him this week?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">No doubt, some Canucks fans may have ideas about why Pettersson still isn’t deserving of a first-star spot. A franchise player with his contract should be performing to it</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">, and he deserves a <em>certain level</em> of criticism for this, which has been a point of exhaustion</span> over the last six months. When he’s playing much, much better, shouldn’t that then also be rewarded with acknowledgement just the same? Positive reinforcement is, after all, a basic psychological concept. If your top centre is no longer walking around like he has a perpetual raincloud over him, that&#8217;s a good sign. Don&#8217;t try and summon it back.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/what-should-vancouver-canucks-do-with-elias-pettersson">Elias Pettersson</a> has finally been shooting with confidence again, and he has the results to show for it. Four goals and three assists in his last six games and plenty of other excellent looks as a bonus. Pettersson’s shot went in and out of the net so quickly against Chicago on Saturday night that the officials completely failed to call it and stop play. He got his goal, but not before Nils Höglander scored again for Vancouver, which was not counted. Sorry, Nils, but Pettersson needed this one.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">🚨CANUCKS GOAL🚨</p>
<p>Elias Pettersson&#39;s hot streak continues! His shot goes off the post, off back cross bar and out. That&#39;s 4 goals in his last 5 games! </p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://t.co/UY41FrcOdj">pic.twitter.com/UY41FrcOdj</a></p>
<p>&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1901121367908774126?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Perfection </p>
<p>🎥: Sportsnet | NHL<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> <a href="https://t.co/WR4cNU7Pjn">pic.twitter.com/WR4cNU7Pjn</a></p>
<p>&mdash; CanucksArmy (@CanucksArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1901123042706907228?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Pettersson had a remarkable power play goal against the Canadiens and also picked up the primary assist on Vancouver&#8217;s lone power play goal last night against Utah. Even if his 5v5 game disappears again like it&#8217;s an episode of <em>The Leftovers</em>, I&#8217;d be willing to take power play Petey at full strength rather than no Petey at all.</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s still far too early to determine whether Pettersson has turned a corner for good, and really too late in the year for it to mean much, but his improvements leave the impression that Elias Pettersson can be ready to look like old Elias Pettersson by the start of next season.</span></p>
<h1>Conor Garland</h1>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Shootout hero Conor Garland. An unexpected title to bequeath him but a welcome one.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">CONOR GARLAND.<br />SHOOTOUT WINNER.<br />GAME OVER. <a href="https://t.co/x0TGApsLM6">pic.twitter.com/x0TGApsLM6</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1900035234781159712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Featuring beautiful puck control that could make anyone tear up.</p>
<p>When everything else is crumbling, let the fact that Conor Garland is a Canuck ease your mind. Garland has at least one point in three out of four games this week and still had himself an excellent game against Utah, even without seeing the scoresheet. Against Utah, Garland was one of the few players making an attempt at net-front and even powered through one nasty-looking shot-block. His dedication definitely isn&#8217;t in question this season.</p>
<p>Is this not enough to convince you? Here&#8217;s Rogers Arena breaking out the &#8220;Con-or Gar-land&#8221; chant during Vancouver&#8217;s 6-2 steamrolling of the Chicago Blackhawks.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Canucks fans are chanting Conor Garland&#39;s name after that one 🗣️ <a href="https://t.co/B9d5bb0Q9c">pic.twitter.com/B9d5bb0Q9c</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1901109848084750592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2025</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<h1>Nils Höglander</h1>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Höglander&#8217;s tenacity as of late has been rewarded with a spot on the top line, something which seemed utterly impossible just a few short months ago. He&#8217;s looked decidedly like a different player since January. Now, on the top wing next to Elias Pettersson, the two of them have been trying to carve out better endings to their respective seasons than how they started.</span></p>
<p>Speaking of Pettersson, <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/tape-nils-hoglander-learning-how-stick-vancouver-canucks-top-six">Höglander&#8217;s three-point week</a> would have been four if it hadn&#8217;t been for the goal-mix against Chicago – but it&#8217;s worth noting that two of those assists were on Pettersson goals. Even when they&#8217;re cancelling out each other&#8217;s goals, they&#8217;re playing well independently and even better together.</p>
<h2>Honourable Mentions</h2>
<blockquote><p><strong>Victor Mancini</strong></p></blockquote>
<p>I like this young man; I really do. He&#8217;s quietly been a very effective tool in the the Canucks toolbox in his 7 games thus far, especially at even strength. Besides, his occasional fire and willingness to stand up for his teammates shows a kind of group identity that&#8217;s been lacking in Vancouver this year.</p>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Welcome back to Stars of the Week at <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/">CanucksArmy</a>! Every week, we’ll be bringing you our Top Three best and brightest performers on the Vancouver Canucks that week. Disagree with our picks or have your own stars to nominate? Let us know in the comments below!</span>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s that time of year again. The winter blues are put out of our minds as the birds chirp, the sun beams down, and the daffodils begin to emerge from the once-frozen ground. Spring is coming into bloom. Meanwhile, the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/combinations">Vancouver Canucks</a> are blooming far, far too late. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The team has overall looked much stronger over the last week than they have in quite some time. Other than their lacklustre outing against the Montreal Canadiens, which was frankly Filip Hronek versus the Habs for an entire game, and last night’s forgettable <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/stanchies-no-puck-luck-vancouver-canucks-st-paddys-game">Utah Hockey Club disaster class</a>. The puck luck may not be on their side, but if they’re shooting and firing on all other cylinders, it can almost make up for a lack of scoring. The key word here is "almost." It’s about visible effort, regardless of whether they’re able to string together multiple subsequent wins or not. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">If only they had this visible effort consistently since they returned from the 4 Nations break, it would make their quest to secure the final Wild Card spot in the West a little less futile. Desperation can either crush spirits or lead teams to untapped levels of motivation. It’s up to the Canucks whether they choose the latter or the former.</span>
<h1>Elias Pettersson</h1>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">How can I not select him this week?</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">No doubt, some Canucks fans may have ideas about why Pettersson still isn’t deserving of a first-star spot. A franchise player with his contract should be performing to it</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">, and he deserves a <em>certain level</em> of criticism for this, which has been a point of exhaustion</span> over the last six months. When he’s playing much, much better, shouldn’t that then also be rewarded with acknowledgement just the same? Positive reinforcement is, after all, a basic psychological concept. If your top centre is no longer walking around like he has a perpetual raincloud over him, that's a good sign. Don't try and summon it back.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/what-should-vancouver-canucks-do-with-elias-pettersson">Elias Pettersson</a> has finally been shooting with confidence again, and he has the results to show for it. Four goals and three assists in his last six games and plenty of other excellent looks as a bonus. Pettersson’s shot went in and out of the net so quickly against Chicago on Saturday night that the officials completely failed to call it and stop play. He got his goal, but not before Nils Höglander scored again for Vancouver, which was not counted. Sorry, Nils, but Pettersson needed this one.</span>

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1901121367908774126

https://twitter.com/CanucksArmy/status/1901123042706907228

Pettersson had a remarkable power play goal against the Canadiens and also picked up the primary assist on Vancouver's lone power play goal last night against Utah. Even if his 5v5 game disappears again like it's an episode of <em>The Leftovers</em>, I'd be willing to take power play Petey at full strength rather than no Petey at all.

<span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s still far too early to determine whether Pettersson has turned a corner for good, and really too late in the year for it to mean much, but his improvements leave the impression that Elias Pettersson can be ready to look like old Elias Pettersson by the start of next season.</span>
<h1>Conor Garland</h1>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Shootout hero Conor Garland. An unexpected title to bequeath him but a welcome one.</span>

https://twitter.com/Canucks/status/1900035234781159712

Featuring beautiful puck control that could make anyone tear up.

When everything else is crumbling, let the fact that Conor Garland is a Canuck ease your mind. Garland has at least one point in three out of four games this week and still had himself an excellent game against Utah, even without seeing the scoresheet. Against Utah, Garland was one of the few players making an attempt at net-front and even powered through one nasty-looking shot-block. His dedication definitely isn't in question this season.

Is this not enough to convince you? Here's Rogers Arena breaking out the "Con-or Gar-land" chant during Vancouver's 6-2 steamrolling of the Chicago Blackhawks.

https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1901109848084750592
<h1>Nils Höglander</h1>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Höglander's tenacity as of late has been rewarded with a spot on the top line, something which seemed utterly impossible just a few short months ago. He's looked decidedly like a different player since January. Now, on the top wing next to Elias Pettersson, the two of them have been trying to carve out better endings to their respective seasons than how they started.</span>

Speaking of Pettersson, <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/tape-nils-hoglander-learning-how-stick-vancouver-canucks-top-six">Höglander's three-point week</a> would have been four if it hadn't been for the goal-mix against Chicago – but it's worth noting that two of those assists were on Pettersson goals. Even when they're cancelling out each other's goals, they're playing well independently and even better together.
<h2>Honourable Mentions</h2>
<blockquote><strong>Victor Mancini</strong></blockquote>
I like this young man; I really do. He's quietly been a very effective tool in the the Canucks toolbox in his 7 games thus far, especially at even strength. Besides, his occasional fire and willingness to stand up for his teammates shows a kind of group identity that's been lacking in Vancouver this year.

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