NHL: Winnipeg Jets at Vancouver Canucks - Source: Imagn — Canucks forwarde Elias Pettersson talked to Canucks fan on appreciation night (Source: Imagn)

$92,800,000 Canucks forward makes feelings known about playing in Vancouver

Modified Apr 18, 2025 08:04 GMT

Elias Pettersson missed the Vancouver Canucks' last 12 games due to an upper body injury, capping off a disappointing season.

Pettersson finished the regular season with 45 points (15 goals and 30 assists) in 64 games, marking his lowest point total in a season, excluding the COVID-impacted 2020-21 campaign.

Pettersson, who was signed by Vancouver on an eight-year, $92.8 million contract in March 2024, spoke to the fans at Rogers Arena during their Fan Appreciation Game on Wednesday night against the Vegas Golden Knights.

“You guys always show up,” Pettersson said. "It’s a true blessing playing here, I’m really grateful being here and we truly appreciate all of your guys support."

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It was far from smooth sailing in Vancouver this season, with their issues highlighted by a rumored rift between Pettersson and J.T. Miller, which culminated in Miller being traded to the New York Rangers.

The Canucks hoped Pettersson's performance would surge after the move, and they got a glimpse of it when he went on a six-game point streak. He scored four goals and six assists for 10 points in his last nine games, but has been sidelined since March 22 due to an undisclosed injury.

Canucks GM Patrik Allvin talks about team's offseason plans

The Vancouver Canucks missed the playoffs with a 38-30-14 record and finished fifth in the Pacific Division. The team struggled to score goals consistently, averaging just 2.86 per game. However, their penalty kill was strong, ranking second in the league.

Canucks GM Patrik Allvin talked about the disappointing season.

"Everyone knows we’ve gone through things that you’d never expected. But I think that's also a way to grow and learn," Allvin said via Sportsnet.com.

"I think everything starts with preparation... I think the players have learned and probably understand that we've got to continue with that preparation in order to be a good team to play 82 games, plus the postseason. I think that's our goal.

“I'm pleased with our goalie situation and I'm pleased with our back end. Our focus here is to see if we can improve our forwards group by either trades or free agents,” he added.

Goaltender Thatcher Demko missed the first 26 games due to injury. He missed another 15 games later in the year. However, Demko was not at his best when he did play, and his injury problems subsequently affected the team’s performance.

About the author

Abhilasha is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda. Holding a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, her interest in writing hockey was piqued after watching an NHL skills video on YouTube. The 2023 Stanley Cup Finale series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers was among the most iconic games she has seen and it left an impact on her.

Her reporting strengths include covering news stories and following stars like McDavid, Matthews and Alex Ovechkin, among others.

Abhilasha is a huge fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche because of their skilled forwards, while her favorite players include Wayne Gretzky, Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Connor Bedard. For her, John Tortorella is the greatest coach ever.

Abhilasha has over 3 years of experience writing content for different products and websites, along with handling social media content for various brands. She values using credible sources when writing and likes to identify fake and false narratives.

Abhilasha’s hobbies include spiritual reading, staying updated on the latest makeup trends, fitness and exploring new destinations through travel.

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