Canucks' Eriksson: 'The coach and I don't really get on 100 percent'
Vancouver Canucks forward Loui Eriksson admitted Wednesday he doesn't exactly see eye-to-eye with head coach Travis Green.
"The coach and I don't really get on 100 percent," he said in Swedish to Hockeysverige, according to Patrick Johnston of The Province. "It is difficult when I do not get the same trust that I received from all the other coaches I had during my career. Of course, it is tough on that front."
Eriksson signed a six-year, $36-million contract on July 1, 2016, and has been the Canucks' highest-paid player since Henrik and Daniel Sedin retired at the end of last season. His tenure has been viewed as a major disappointment; he's scored just 32 times in three campaigns with Vancouver after recording a 30-goal campaign in his final year with the Boston Bruins.
"I haven't had so much ice time," Eriksson added. The 33-year-old averaged 14:04 minutes per game this season, his lowest average since 2007-08.
Green has deflected most of the criticism to come Eriksson's way, notes Johnston, as the second-year bench boss has often defended the Swedish winger for doing the "little things" well.
"It feels like I'm still a good player in the league," said Eriksson, who's currently overseas preparing for the World Championship.
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