Canucks preach patience on pick
Elias Pettersson shows great potential, but isn’t ready to step into NHL role just yet
If it was by design, there was no better way for Elias Pettersson to witness what it will take to pack on muscle and eventually ply his playmaking trade in the National Hockey League.
Not only did the Vancouver Canucks select the slick Swedish centre fifth-overall Friday — missing on projected top-pairing defenceman Cale Makar who went fourth to Colorado and passing on centre Cody Glass who went sixth to Las Vegas — they made sure on a post-Draft Combine visit to Rogers Arena that the 6-2, 165-pound Pettersson would see the commitment required to being a consummate pro.
Meeting Henrik and Daniel Sedin at the arena in early June was an exclamation mark for Pettersson, knowing the commitment the twins have for off-season training is legendary.
“Absolutely,” he said. “I heard that they always train hard and even though you think you’re training hard, you can always train harder. I watched them through the years and they make hockey look way too easy sometimes. They are very good players and it was fun to meet them.”
Add that visit to the fact general manager Jim Benning always included Pettersson in his assessments of preferred playmaking pivots, the crossing of paths with his countrymen was noteworthy. Benning also indicated he was prepared to move down in this draft to land his targeted player and it was clear Friday that Pettersson topped his wish list.
Often compared to a budding Nicklas Backstrom because of a smooth and intelligent game that features little panic, Pettersson has the uncanny ability to pass in traffic and hold on to the puck to feather a sweet feed or select a shot.
Pettersson had 19 goals and 21 assists in 43 games for Timra IK of the second-division Hockey Allsvenskan and was a teammate of Canucks’ prospect Jonathan Dahlen. The plan is to move up to the Swedish Elite League next season with the Vaxjo Lakers — hopefully with Dahlen, so the Canucks could have a future line in the making.
It makes sense because in today’s game, creativity trumps all because you can always get stronger and faster. But you can’t whip up skill. You either have it or you don’t.
“I don’t like to talk about myself, but I like to be one step ahead of my opponents if I’m forechecking or in a 50-50 situation,” added Pettersson. “I always like to have a plan to win the situation. I create a lot of scoring chances for myself and my teammates and I like to pass the puck more than shoot it.
“I play with a lot of instincts and I like how Nicklas Backstrom plays. He makes his teammates better and creates chances for himself, but I’ve got a lot to learn to get to the next level.
“I see myself as a playmaker who protects the puck and in some years that will be great in the NHL. But I don’t think I’m ready for the NHL now.”
He’s not. But Backstrom was once a small player with big aspirations.
Backstrom doesn’t get enough credit for being a driving force for the Washington offence. The Swedish centre often dishes those sweet feeds to linemate Alex Ovechkin and the playmaker finished second this season in assists to the Oilers’ remarkable centre Connor McDavid.
What was intriguing to the Canucks in pursuing Pettersson is looking at today’s game. Look at how smaller and swifter players are using speed, imagination and finish to make a big impact in what was always thought to be a big man’s game.
“They (Canucks) were the team that showed the most interest in me, but you never know because you can’t control where you’re going to get picked,” said Pettersson,
He also played soccer growing up and started to believe he had an NHL future a year-and-a-half ago.
“Timra believed in me and gave me a lot of playing time.
“But I need to gain weight and get stronger. I’m not the fastest guy from the start and I need to become quicker.”
Pettersson’s brother, Emil, was a sixth-round Nashville selection in 2013.
So it’s not a stretch to suggest that pushing the competitive envelope and filling out his frame will help establish an NHL game one day for the Canucks pick.
“He’s very skilled and has really good vision,” said Benning. “He has good hands and had a real good year.
“He needs some time to get the physical strength, but he has all the tools to be a good payer.”
The succession plan in Vancouver is always a hot topic.
The Sedins have a year left on their contracts and could possibly consider coming back for another year.
There’s Bo Horvat, Brendan Sutter and prospect Adam Gaudette in the middle and a lot of questions marks.
A potential first-line centre was always supposed to be a big, strong, two-way force.
William Nylander, 21, is a six-foot, 190-pound centre with Toronto and his 22-goal season is an example of how smarts and skills are playing out at the NHL level. What about Pettersson?
“You’re going to have to be patient with him,” cautioned one NHL scout.
“The advantage is he’s 18 and already playing against men. Give him two years in Sweden and allow him to gain that 30 pounds that he’s going to need before he can step into the NHL.
“Then you have a guy who can come in as a 20 year old.”