If you were worried about whether Elias Pettersson would sign with the Canucks this off-season, you can breathe again. On Friday, Pettersson put pen to paper on a three-year entry-level contract.
While the Canucks were always confident that a deal would get done after the World Hockey Championships, others in Vancouver had their doubts. Reports out of Sweden that Henrik Evertsson, the GM of the Växjö Lakers, wanted Pettersson to return to the SHL kicked off a minor firestorm in Vancouver, even though those reports didn’t change anything.
Pettersson’s goal has always been to reach the NHL as soon as he can and to be an impact player as soon as he arrives. He reiterated that desire today on a conference call with Vancouver media.
“I want to play in the NHL as quickly as possible,” he said, before acknowledging that if that path took him through the AHL first, he would accept that. Judging from his skill level and dominant season in Sweden, however, that won’t be necessary.
The list of Pettersson’s awards and accomplishments from last season is staggering:
- SHL Champion
- SHL Playoff MVP
- SHL Rookie of the Year
- SHL Best Forward
- SHL MVP
- SHL scoring leader
- SHL playoff scoring leader
- SHL all-time record in junior scoring
- Swedish Forward of the Year
- World Championship Gold
- World Junior Silver
- Champion’s League Runner-Up
Heck, Pettersson even led the SHL in plus/minus, for what that’s worth.
Now that the ink on Pettersson’s NHL contract has dried, the idea that he would return to the SHL for another seasons seems almost laughable. What more could he accomplish in the SHL?
Happy and excited to sign my first NHL-contract. A dream come true! I want to thank everyone who helped me along the way and especially my family. I couldn’t have done it without you. pic.twitter.com/NXTBLO1xBc
— Elias Pettersson (@_EPettersson) May 25, 2018
Pettersson called signing his first NHL contract “a dream come true” on his Twitter account.
“It’s been my dream since I knew what the NHL was,” he said. “I always had a dream that I would want to play in the NHL. Now I sign my first contract and I’m one step closer to it. I’m just looking forward to the opportunity and I’m going to train even harder to hopefully play in the NHL in the first game.”
As much as Pettersson might be tired of questions about his weight — “Stupid questions get stupid answers,” he once said about those that obsess over it — it was inevitable that he would be asked about it and he was ready with a dry quip.
“I’m trying to bulk up to 200 pounds,” he said, then paused just long enough to make everyone wonder if he was serious. “No, just kidding. I don’t know exactly what my weight is today, I haven’t been on scales since the Swedish playoffs, but maybe around 77 [kgs] right now.”
That’s around 170 lbs, which is about 5 lbs heavier than he was listed on the Swedish roster for the World Hockey Championships, which may have been going off old measurements.
That’s a good starting point for his off-season training, as he looks to add some more weight and strength. If his older brother is any indication, he shouldn’t have any issue bulking up over the next couple years, if not quite up to 200 lbs.
The one complication for his training is his fractured thumb from the World Hockey Championships, which required a minor surgery. He’s currently sporting a cast, as can be seen on his Twitter post. He’s not concerned about affecting him.
“I can work out my lower body and my core today,” he said, “but right now I’m having a little vacation and rest from the long season. I can work out fully in, I think, three or three-and-a-half weeks, then my thumb will be okay.”
The lone question remaining is how quickly he can become an impactful player for the Canucks. Fans are eager to see Pettersson make his debut, with a lot of their hopes for a successful season resting on his shoulders. Given his determination and drive, it’s hard to bet against the young Swede making an immediate impact.
While fans may have high expectations for Pettersson, they’re unlikely to be as high as the expectations Pettersson sets for himself. The three players he identified as his role models speaks to that.
“My first one was Peter Forsberg,” he said, “then later on it was Nicklas Backstrom and Pavel Datsyuk. I liked how they played their game and how skillful they were on the ice.”
Canucks fans will be hoping to say the same about Pettersson next season.
