Rookie drawing special attention
NHL teams have quickly learned they need to keep an eye on Vancouver’s Pettersson
Niklas Kronwall is 37 and there are a lot of miles on his hockey odometer.
However, the Detroit Red Wings defenceman can still deliver devastating open-ice hits — his victims have dubbed it being “Kronwalled” — by stepping up at the opposition blue-line and lowering the boom in spectacular fashion on an unsuspecting player.
A list of the fallen over the years includes Nikita Kucherov, Jakub Voracek, Ales Hemsky and Ryan Kesler.
The significance of all this is the electric Elias Pettersson, who turns 20 on Nov. 12 and continues to turn heads.
The Vancouver Canucks centre is proficient at pinpoint passing, has a lightning release and his three-zone awareness continues to earn him nicknames and comparisons just nine games and 15 points (9-6) into his NHL career. He was NHL rookie of the month in October and named second star of the past week Monday.
Pettersson’s incredible style of play includes retreating to his own zone to trigger the transition, and you can’t help but wonder if Kronwall is going to step up Tuesday to catch his countryman by surprise. Then again, Pettersson is shifty enough to avoid trouble — unless he gets pitchforked from behind, is pinned to the end boards and slammed to the ice — and being a centre of attention could only open things up for his teammates.
It’s the Wings who will need to keep their heads up. Pettersson is that good, that deceptively quick.
“It’s extremely exciting to see the young kids come in and what they can do with the puck,” Kronwall said Monday. “Rarely, do you see those guys get hit in the first place. A lot of times, you want to work as a five-man unit and try to eliminate all the space you can before he (Pettersson) even gets the puck.
“That goes for all the great players. It’s definitely going to be a challenge. He’s fun to watch and hopefully he won’t have as much fun Tuesday.”
What boggles the imagination is how being the third Swedish rookie to have five points in one game — and being the youngest Canuck to strike for at least five points in an outing — hasn’t affected Pettersson’s persona. There is no ego. There is self-confidence, but also a team buy-in and an incredible desire to win.
And, just in case we forget, he still sounds like a kid.
“It’s very cool,” he said of winning the weekly NHL award. “There are a lot of stars and superstars in the NHL and I’m very happy to be the second star of the week. I always think of the team first and team wins, but it’s always good to be able to produce and help the team.
“Hopefully, they (Wings) put too much focus on me and other guys will be open.”
Travis Green has marvelled at how Pettersson is already wired like an elite player who doesn’t get too far ahead of himself and doesn’t get blown away when good things happen.
“I like that he’s remaining very even-keeled and humble with everything that happens, and it’s a lot for sure,” said the Canucks’ coach. “And even away from the rink, it’s a lot for him. We’re excited for him and I’m not trying to play down it.
“But when people start talking and are asking me about comparisons to (Pavel) Datsyuk and (Peter) Forsberg — Hall of Fame players who have won Stanley Cups — we hope he can become one of those players and we want to win championships.
“If we’re lucky enough for him to be one of those guys, we’d be very fortunate. He’s off to a great start, but we have to make sure we protect him as well as far as pressure and expectations, yet still be excited about it.”
Wings forward Gustav Nyquist was Pettersson’s linemate during the world championship tournament in May. it was a window into Pettersson’s competitive world and how he might thrive on the smaller North American ice.
“He has a good resume from the way he played in Sweden and if you dominate that league, it’s impressive,” said Nyquist. “And what he’s done here is impressive and it shows that he has played pro before. I know that league (SHL) well and a lot who play there, and they’re good twoway players.
“You learn how to play the right way and what you’re seeing is he has a little head start in terms of knowing how to play on both ends of the puck. For a player like that, who’s quick and fast and knows how to make decisions with the puck, it’s probably a positive for him because his thought process is real quick.”
Wings coach Jeff Blashill put it best about keeping Pettersson in check Tuesday.
“Against anybody like that, you’ve go to be as tight to him as possible and make him defend as much as possible.”
He’s fun to watch and hopefully he won’t have as much fun Tuesday.”
Niklas Kronwall, speaking of Elias Pettersson