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VANCOUVER — A former Canucks defenceman turned scout was “a loud voice” in support of landing elite Swede Elias Pettersson.
Ron Delorme was intimidating on the ice and then became persuasive off it.
The former Vancouver Canucks’ winger turned amateur scout was sold on Elias Pettersson early in the 2016-17 season. And despite a 2017 draft class stocked with elite centres — a half dozen were selected fifth through 11th after Nico Hischier and Nolan Patrick went first and second, respectively — Delorme was as confident about selecting Pettersson fifth overall as winning any of his 53 career NHL bouts.
He believed Pettersson would thrive at wing or centre in Europe and eventually do the same in the NHL. And that was well before Pettersson became the Swedish Hockey League’s most valuable player in the regular season and playoffs last season.
“Ronnie saw him early and was a loud voice for him right from the start — even before any of us had seen him,” recalled Canucks general manager Jim Benning. “He was in my office and said ‘we’ve really got to watch this guy.’ He loved his skill and hockey sense.
“We saw Elias anywhere from 70 to 90 times in his draft year because he was a bit of a late bloomer. In Sweden, they identify top kids when they’re 12 or 13 and when he was 14 and 15, he wasn’t one of those. He came more into his own at 17 when he had a growth spurt.”
Pettersson, 19, made his NHL pre-season debut Tuesday — along with high-scoring countryman Jonathan Dahlen — and collected an assist playing alongside Sven Baertschi and Nikolay Goldobin in a 4-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers.
It was first real transition step to smaller ice and big expectations after Pettersson dominated the SHL last season with 56 points (24-32) in 44 games. He then added 19 points (10-13) in 13 post-season games to lead Vaxjo HC Lakers to the league title. Pettersson played just nine games at centre last season, but Dahlen doesn’t expect his best friend to back down from the latest challenge.
“I’ve seen him handle every step he’s taken very well,” said Dahlen. “He’ll do so again.”
It’s why the hype meter is going crazy and why Pettersson should savour every step. Right now, he can walk the city streets in anonymity. That’s going to change.
“I can only control what I do in the moment and not think what’s ahead of me,” the 6-foot-2, 175-pound Pettersson said before facing the Oilers. “It’s getting better every day. The speed here is quicker, the ice is smaller, there’s more physical play and you have less time with the puck.”
That’s just part of the battle. In the Pacific Division stocked with big centres who excel in faceoffs, Pettersson may need another centre on his line to take the pressure off — if he starts the season in the middle.
“I’m working on it and it’s not a big deal,” shrugged Pettersson.
That has become his early calling card. He’s not a quote machine and prefers to let his play do the talking. But it’s fair to wonder if he can thrive offensively and not be a defensive liability.
“You’ve got to be a little bit quicker,” said Canucks coach Travis Green. “I find in Europe, you’re a little more passive in keeping them [opposition] on the outside because the ice is so big. Smart players adapt. It’s going to be an adjustment for him [at centre], but it’s best to do it now than in three weeks.”
There’s seldom a sure thing in any draft, but the Canucks were so high on Pettersson that they passed on centres Cody Glass (No. 6, Vegas), Casey Mittelstadt (No. 8, Buffalo), Michael Rasmussen (No. 9, Detroit) and Gabriel Valardi (No. 11, Los Angeles).
“If he was there at No. 5, we were going to draft him,” said Benning. “We knew he has a special skill set and felt with the wingers we had in our system, a playmaker was a need. He had the vision and with his release from the half wall — he could really rip it — it was the [draft] separation.”
Still, Benning pondered a swap of first-round picks with Buffalo (eighth overall) and Vegas to add an additional later pick. The Golden Knights liked Glass, but weren’t sure what the Canucks were going to do. And with the New York Rangers getting the seventh selection, picking eighth didn’t ensure Benning would land Pettersson. Either did the sixth pick, because Vegas could have had a change of heart.
“I didn’t want to risk not getting Elias and didn’t want to draft too far down — that’s where you get in trouble,” recalled Benning. “My philosophy was you just take him.”
Maple Leafs 4, Senators 1
LUCAN, Ont. — In the hours after the Maple Leafs signed John Tavares this summer, Mike Babcock mused about playing his shiny new centre alongside Mitch Marner.
After just one pre-season game, Toronto’s head coach must be smiling at what the finished product could eventually look like.
Tavares and Marner combined for six points Tuesday as the Leafs defeated the Ottawa Senators 4-1 in the opener of the NHL exhibition schedule for both clubs.