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Frankie Corrado debates $92.8M Elias Pettersson's place in top 5 NHL players list
In March, Elias Pettersson inked an eight-year, $92.8 million deal with the Vancouver Canucks. This lucrative contract carried an AAV of $11.6 million, positioning him as the fifth highest-paid player in the NHL heading into the new season.
During a recent TSN Hockey segment, host Sara and analyst Frankie Corrado engaged in a discussion about Pettersson's contract and recent performance, delving into whether it elevates him to the status as one of the top five players in the NHL.
Corrado explained that while Pettersson is a talented player, the top five players in the NHL currently are already well-established, including names like Connor McDavid, Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, Auston Matthews and possibly Nikita Kucherov.
Frankie suggested that for Pettersson to reach the level of the top five players, he would need to significantly improve his playoff performance and aim for close to a 100-point season in the regular season consistently:
(from 0:18 mark onwards)
Well, just based on the default factor that the top five players in the NHL are very solidified, he is closer to the floor. And that's not an indictment on Elias Pettersson. Yes, he has to play better in the playoffs. Yes, he has to be close to a 100-point player in the regular season," Corrado said.
"But think about that top five – everyone can name it. It's McDavid, it's Makar, it's MacKinnon, it's Draisaitl, it's Matthews. You can throw Kucherov in there. Like, yeah, we can argue about the order, but there's just no way that Elias Pettersson is making his way into that top five players in the NHL category. So because of that, he's closer to the floor," he added.
Elias Pettersson looks to bounce back in upcoming season
Last season, the Swede's performance experienced a slight decline compared to his outstanding display of 102 points (39 goals and 63 assists) in the previous term.
Pettersson concluded the 2023-24 season with 89 points through 34 goals and 55 assists in 82 regular season games. In the playoffs, he had six points through one goal and five assists in 13 games.
Despite his undeniable talent, there are growing concerns about Pettersson's capacity to manage external pressure and meet lofty expectations following the signing of a lucrative deal.
With fans and analysts criticizing the player for falling short of expectations set by his massive contract, Pettersson is expected to feel the heat and will look to bounce back next season.
Also Read: NHL analyst puts $92.8M Elias Pettersson on hot seat for a successful Canucks campaign next season
Do you think Elias Pettersson can be included in the list of top five players currently in the NHL? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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