Former Canuck greats and current studs dominated among topics on The Quickie.

Player Policing Needed to Curtail Pettersson Abuse

We brought this up on Silky N’ Filthy last week as well. This isn’t just about Pettersson, but it’s about star players around the NHL.

Still, it sucks to see one of the most talented players in the game hacked at ruthlessly while the refs fail to call any penalties.

The 1.58 penalties Pettersson drew per-60 minutes last season ranked 12th in the NHL. That number was around the same this season, but it has dropped off since December 1st. Since then, he’s only drawn 0.67 penalties per-60.

Is he playing any differently? Is he taking less abuse? Anyone watching this hockey team would answer no to those questions. So, it falls on the officials.

If the officials fail to do their jobs, then it’s going to fall on the players. Wouldn’t it just be easier if the refs called the game properly?

Bury the Kesler Hate

I understand that some of you might still hold a grudge against Ryan Kesler. I get it...to an extent.

Like every Canuck fan out there, I was peeved at the way he exited the organization. Does that really warrant a six-year grudge though?

To me, the Kesler hate feels like petty-man drama, like watching a bad episode of the Bachelor. As many former players have mentioned throughout the last week, guys request trades for various reasons. It’s a business.

You don’t have to proclaim your love for Kesler, but to hold a grudge is petty.

Thank You Sedins

What do you love most about the Sedins? If you had five minutes with them, how would you thank them?

I give my five minutes of appreciation to the Twins in the link above.

Low-Key Difference Makers

While most of the love deservedly goes towards Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes and Jacob Markstrom, I show some love to three Canucks who have altered the fortunes of the team this season.

Battle of the Patricks & Uniting Canucks Nation

So for those of you not on the Twitter, one user set up a Canucks Twitter “March Madness” style bracket. Yours truly somehow made the list.

The battle of the Patricks comes from the fact that my middle name is Patrick... I ended up against Patrick Johnson of The Province in Round One, and something tells me the guy who travels with the Canucks on the road is going to win the poll. Remember though, we don’t have a paywall :)

On The Quickie though, I talk about the positive angle of the poll, which is to unite Canucks nation. While many of us on Twitter or among the readers/writers here might have differing opinion, we’re all cheering for the same thing.

We all want to see this team win a Stanley Cup. Let that bring us together as this team pushes for the playoffs for the first time in five years.