Vancouver Canucks' Adam Foote Stands Behind Elias Pettersson Despite Drama to Star the Season
Photo credit: Bob Frid - Imagn Images.
Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Adam Foote stood behind forward Elias Pettersson and praised his play of late when speaking with reporters on Monday afternoon.
Heading into the 2025-26 season, Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson told reporters that he was out for "revenge" and determined to bounce back after a difficult 2024-25 campaign due to injuries, inconsistent play and a feud with J.T. Miller.
"I haven't thought about it, but for myself it's revenge. I'm not happy with last season. I'm trying to lead by example. But I know that I can become a better leader, in that aspect. I'm trying my best, but also trying to get better." Pettersson said.
Adam Foote stands behind Elias Pettersson, praises his play of late
Pettersson's start to this year wasn't great, finishing October with just three goals and eight points, leading leading some to wonder if he could be a buyout candidate next summer.
"I'll say this right now guys, if he doesn't get his game in order, we are going to be talking about him as a buyout candidate." TSN's Craig Button said.
When speaking with reporters following the morning skate on Monday, Adam Foote was full of praise for Elias Pettersson, saying that he's done well against some tough matchups including playing against Connor McDavid's line at five-on-five last Sunday.
"There's such a hard matchup for Petey right now. You saw him defend so well against McDavid's line 5-on-5. We're in a situation with the injuries that it's hard to get him away from the hard matchup. I'm just so happy the way he's playing. He's playing in the mud and in the dirt. It's not easy." Foote said.
Tonight won't be any easier for Elias Pettersson, but it'll be a good test for him as he'll likely be matched up with one of the best defensive centermen in the National Hockey League and former Selke Trophy winner Ryan O'Reilly.
While there's been no issue with Elias Pettersson's game from a defensive standpoint, they certainly need him to pick up the pace offensively as registering three goals in the first 13 games of the 2025-26 season isn't great, especially for someone earning $11.6 million annually.
If Pettersson can take his game to another level over the next couple of months and show that he can be the player he was during the 2022-23 season, then he'll increase his odds of landing a massive opportunity in early 2026 with Team Sweden at the Winter Olympics.
Previously on Canucks Daily
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