Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet says there was absolutely no disrespect to Brock Boeser by removing the alternate captain A from his jersey for Sunday’s game against Dallas.
Tocchet explained on Monday afternoon that the team is rotating letters in the absence of captain Quinn Hughes, who missed a third straight game with an undisclosed injury. And on Sunday newcomer Marcus Pettersson wore an A for the first time since being acquired by the Canucks on January 31st. Elias Pettersson and Tyler Myers were the others who were a letter on Sunday.
“We didn’t disrespect Brock because he didn’t have an ‘A’,” Tocchet said emphatically. “We rotated the A’s. Garland has worn it. Myers has worn it. Boes has worn it alot. Forbort could wear it. So we didn’t disrespect an eight or nine year guy here. You can ask Brock Boeser if he feels like Rick Tocchet disrespects him.”
Some eyebrows were raised when Marcus Pettersson, with just 12 games under his belt as a Canuck, was given a letter while Boeser, who had worn one in each of the previous two games, did not. Of course, this came on the heels of a tumultuous few days for Boeser leading into Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
Tocchet, clearly frustrated by the team’s lack of offence – including Boeser, who has now gone eight games without a goal – felt the suggestion of disrespect to the longest-serving skater in the organization was misguided in the aftermath of the team’s 4-1 loss to the Stars.
“We played a half-decent game last night and the first thing is ‘oh disrespecting Brock Boeser about a stupid A’,” Tocchet added.
The issue of rotating letters may soon be a thing of the past as Quinn Hughes continues to recover from his latest injury. With back-to-back games on Tuesday against Montreal and Wednesday in Calgary, Tocchet elected to keep his players off the ice on Monday. However, he was quick to add that had the Canucks practiced, Hughes would have been a participant.
“He would have been at practice today,” Tocchet said. “I don’t know what jersey he would have had on. He’s progressing. He could surprise us at any time when he’s ready to go. I’m not saying he’s going to be in the line-up tomorrow. It’s coming. I just don’t know when.”
And once Hughes gets back in the lineup and sports his familiar C, the rest of the leadership group will fall into place, with Myers and Elias Pettersson supporting him as the two alternates.
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