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Vancouver Canucks Blamed by Respected Voices for Elias Pettersson's Lack of Production
Photo credit: Bob Frid - Imagn Images.
Analysts at Sportsnet 650 believe that Adam Foote and the Vancouver Canucks' coaching staff aren't using forward Elias Pettersson properly to start the new season.
Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson spent all summer training hard on and off the ice in his home nation of Sweden with the hopes of bouncing back following a difficult 2024-25 campaign.
However, three games into the 2025-26 season, the Vancouver Canucks are 1-2-0 and Elias Pettersson has just one shot at five-on-five, along with one assist, which understandably isn't what the team was hoping for as they need him to play like a true number one centerman.
"shots registered in the last 100 games played of their careers:
elias pettersson: 178 shots (26 years old)
david perron: 181 shots (38 years old)
brent burns: 209 shots (40 years old)
kris letang: 209 shots (38 years old)
mats zuccarello: 221 shots (38 years old)" @ArashMemarzadeh of Sportsnet 650 said.
elias pettersson: 178 shots (26 years old)
david perron: 181 shots (38 years old)
brent burns: 209 shots (40 years old)
kris letang: 209 shots (38 years old)
mats zuccarello: 221 shots (38 years old)" @ArashMemarzadeh of Sportsnet 650 said.
Analysts believe Elias Pettersson isn't being deployed properly to start new season
Despite his struggles last season, Elias Pettersson averaged 18:35 of ice time per night, as well as a high in the team's season opener in October 2024 when he skated in 23:34 against the Calgary Flames.
Flash forward 12 months and yes, it's still early, but Pettersson's ice time has dropped off a bit, averaging 15:57 in the first three games of the season - 15:39 vs Calgary (Oct. 9th), 16:38 @ Edmonton (Oct. 11th), 15:36 vs St. Louis (Oct. 13th).
During a recent edition of Canucks Central with Dan Riccio and Sat Shah, the two discussed how Elias Pettersson isn't being deployed properly by the Vancouver Canucks' coaching staff thus far.
"I don't care what you think of Elias Pettersson, I really don't and I know he's been terrible for the last 12-18 months, nowhere near an $11.6 million player. We all get this, this isn't new. He's still your $11.6 million player, he is still your most paid forward, he is still your highest paid player in general and the guy who is supposed to carry your offense and carry your team. The President of the organization was on the Amazon Prime broadcast last night and said specifically 'he's our number one center.' Why isn't he being deployed like it? Filip Chytil's playing more minutes, especially at five-on-five and Elias Pettersson is getting under 16 minutes a night? You go back to Saturday, he was at like 13 minutes and then played the final three minutes of the game when they were trying to get the tying goal against the Edmonton Oilers. I don't understand this deployment. I don't think Pettersson's been good, but I don't think he's deserved to not be at his normal 18, 19, 20 minutes a night." Riccio said.
There's no question that Elias Pettersson should probably be playing more, however, whether you're paid $11.6 million like he is or the league minimum of $775,000, you need to earn your ice time, it's as simple as that.
One shot at five-on-five and one assist through three games is unacceptable - Pettersson knows it, Adam Foote knows it, everyone knows it, but instead of dwelling on how these three games have gone, the Sundsvall, Sweden native needs to go out there and start proving to everyone that he is capable of being the first line center & can carry this team offensively, like he did a couple of years ago.
Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 15 | 1132 ANSWERS Vancouver Canucks Blamed by Respected Voices for Elias Pettersson's Lack of Production Do you think the Vancouver Canucks need to increase Elias Pettersson's ice time? | ||
| Yes | 602 | 53.2 % |
| No, if anything they should reduce it | 530 | 46.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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