Elias Pettersson enters 2026-27 carrying more weight on his shoulders than just about anyone in the NHL. The Canucks center is still tied to that eight-year, $11.6 million-per-season contract, and the scrutiny that has followed him since signing it has only grown as his play has slipped and trade chatter has swirled.
That backdrop makes this a tricky season to define. Vancouver is headed into a clear rebuilding stretch and looks like a team on a path toward the bottom of the standings, so Pettersson’s year can’t really be measured the usual way. Still, there are a few signs that would point to real progress, even in a rough team context.
The first is simple: he has to move forward statistically, not keep sliding. Pettersson’s peak came in 2022-23, when he put up 39 goals and 102 points, with Bruce Boudreau coaching him for half the season.
Once Rick Tocchet took over, his overall impact dipped. The next year brought 35 goals and 89 points, which would feel like a strong return now but landed as a disappointment at the time.
Then came a full-season career low of 45 points in 2024-25, followed by 51 in 2025-26, though that came at a lower point-per-game pace. The trend has been pointing the wrong way for three straight years, and that has to stop.
Part of that drop has come from a lack of aggression. Pettersson is shooting less than he used to and isn’t getting himself into scoring areas with the same regularity.
As JFresh put it: "He's never been a high-quantity chance creator, but you used to not worry about that because of his freakish efficiency. Without it, and with even less willingness to get to the slot, his offence has fallen apart."
A return to 100 points is probably too much to ask, but a better season than the last few is very much on the table.
The other piece is role. Pettersson is still the Canucks’ first-line center by default, and that’s partly because the team’s forward group just doesn’t have much firepower.
But there are names behind him who could apply some pressure. Marco Rossi played well for the team and was once seen as a potential first-line pivot as a can’t-miss prospect.
Braeden Cootes is also in the picture, even if the chance is still a long shot, and he could eventually make a late-season push for more center minutes. Even with that in mind, Pettersson still has the highest ceiling of the group, and Vancouver needs him to keep earning the trust that comes with the toughest matchups.
Defensively, there’s still something there even when the scoring isn’t. Pettersson can be a legitimate asset away from the puck, and at times his game hints at Selke-level ability.
He led all NHL forwards with 108 blocked shots last season, and he did it in fewer games than anyone else in the top five. He’s not a punishing hitter, but he’ll put his body on the line to block shots.
He also brings value through stick checks, puck retrievals, and work along the boards.
That side of his game is reflected in the numbers Mike Kelly pointed to, with Pettersson ranking among forwards in several defensive categories. As Kelly said: "Heck of an effort from Pettersson tonight. For those who don't watch him regularly, his per game ranks among forwards this season…"
The Selke race is crowded, and players like Aleksander Barkov, Anthony Cirelli, and the reigning Nick Suzuki make it a steep climb. Pettersson is not likely to win it. But if he can put together enough offensive rebound and defensive consistency to land even a few down-ballot votes, that would count as meaningful progress.
For Pettersson, success in 2026-27 is less about awards and more about showing the Canucks - and everyone else - that the slide can be reversed. In a tough season for Vancouver, that alone would matter.
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Bo Horvats Islanders Rise Still Says Plenty About Vancouvers Choice
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Boeser also took a moment to revisit one of the franchises defining recent decisions, praising former teammate Bo Horvat for the work ethic and professionalism that have helped make him captain of the New York Islanders. It was a reminder that the Canucks 2023 trade of Horvat is still part of the backdrop here, not just as a roster move, but as one of the choices that continues to shape how Vancouver talks about where it is headed. [Read more 🡒]