‘I just want to get back to myself’: Elias Pettersson hoping to find old form with Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks are looking to turn the page to their next era.

This offseason, they hired a new general manager in Ryan Johnson, a new head coach in Manny Malhotra, and new team presidents in franchise legends Henrik and Daniel Sedin. While the organization as a whole wants to look forward, at least one player on the team is hoping to wind the clock back a few years.

Speaking to the media ahead of the 42nd annual Jake Milford Golf Invitational, Canucks center Elias Pettersson spoke about wanting to rediscover the All-Star form that has abandoned him the past two seasons.

“I just want to get back to myself,” Pettersson said. “I haven’t been that the last two years, but it’s in the past. I’m coming in with a fresh mind and I’m excited to play hockey again.”

Perhaps no player in the NHL has a been a bigger disappointment the past two seasons than Pettersson. The Swedish national was on top of the world coming off his 2022-23 campaign, in which he broke out with 39 goals and 63 assists for 102 points in 80 games. He earned votes for the Selke Trophy and even the Hart Trophy, and looked every bit the star forward Vancouver had craved since the Sedin’s retirement.

His 2023-24 season wasn’t quite up to par with the season prior, but he still played at over a point-per-game pace, registering 34 goals and 55 assists for 89 points in 82 games while helping the Canucks make the playoffs after a three-year absence. In March of that season, the Vancouver signed him to an eight-year, $92.8 million contract.

Since then, however, he’s looked like a different player. Over the past two seasons, he’s had a total of just 96 points over 138 games, while various injuries have limited his games played and seemingly hampered his confidence. He and the Canucks alike are hoping the team’s fresh approach will give him new life.