2024-25 was a disaster for Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson.
After tearing it up in 2022-23 with 39 goals and 102 points, and 34 goals and 89 points in 2034-24, Pettersson struggled in all facets of the game, and notched just 45 points over 64 injury-riddled appearances.
Knee tendinitis limited his off-season training, he suffered an upper-body issue during the year, and was shut down in the spring with an oblique injury.
Pettersson was also the co-star of off-ice drama with J.T. Miller. The rift soiled the Canucks’ chemistry and ultimately led to Miller being traded back to the New York Rangers.
However, Pettersson, 27 in November, is still a supremely talented forward and expects more from himself this upcoming campaign:
“I know what I can do. I haven’t actually thought about it, but for my part I want revenge. I’m not happy with the season that was. But it’s done now. There’s no point in dwelling on it. I’m learning from what happened last season to become a better and more mature player for next year,” Pettersson told NHL.com/sv.
Vancouver looked poised to establish itself as a contender in the Western Conference after going 50-23-9 in 2023-24 and losing in seven games to the Edmonton Oilers in the second round.
Last year’s struggles were not all on Pettersson, but as the franchise forward and leader up front, missing the playoffs again, especially with a core that features Quinn Hughes, Brock Boeser, and Conor Garland, is not an option.
Pettersson can alleviate any skepticism from the fanbase or the front office with a bounce-back performance.
