Pettersson 'used to pressure,' poised to excel with Canucks

PENTICTON, B.C. --Elias Pettersson is the best Vancouver Canucks prospect since Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin arrived to the NHL 18 years ago, but the 19-year-old forward wasn't betraying any nerves ahead of his first Young Stars Classic prospect tournament.

Pettersson said he isn't worried about the pressure of being the No. 5 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft or increased expectations from a record-setting season in the Swedish Hockey League.
"I'm used to pressure," Pettersson said. "I like challenges, but when there is a lot of pressure on me, I get more focused and want to show them I can play good every time."
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Pettersson is the focal point of the best lineup the Canucks have had in eight years hosting this preseason tournament. He headlines a group that includes forward Adam Gaudette, who won the Hobey Baker Award after leading NCAA Division I with 60 points (30 goals, 30 assists) in 38 games; Michael DiPietro, the Ontario Hockey League goaltender of the year last season; and defenseman Olli Juolevi, the No. 5 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Pettersson lived up to the billing in an 8-2 win against Winnipeg Jets prospects at the South Okanagan Events Center on Friday, scoring twice and getting an assist with a pretty stretch pass that sent forward Jonathan Dahlen for a breakaway goal.
"[Elias is] a great hockey player, you can see it," said Trent Cull, who coaches Vancouver's American Hockey League affiliate in Utica. "It will be exciting for all of us, fans and coaches, to see how he progresses."

Brock Boeser quickly became the Canucks' best player as a rookie last season. The forward had 55 points (29 goals, 26 assists) to tie Daniel Sedin for their scoring lead despite being a healthy scratch the first two games and missing 18 because of injury. Boeser finished second in Calder Trophy voting to New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal, but even Boeser arrived at this tournament a year ago with less fanfare than Pettersson, who is coming off a double MVP season in Sweden.
Pettersson led the SHL with 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists) in 44 games, passing Kent Nilsson (53 points) for the most by a junior-aged player after climbing a list that included Daniel Sedin (45 points), Henrik Sedin (47 points) and Peter Forsberg (48 points). Pettersson was named most valuable player in the regular season and playoffs after helping Vaxjo win the SHL championship with 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) in 13 playoff games.
"It gives me a lot of confidence I can play at a high level," he said. "That was the best way for me to develop and to be ready as possible, is to play against men."
Pettersson, who is expected to start in a top-six role and be a power-play specialist with the Canucks, said he knows there will be adjustments in the NHL. He's already heard the questions about his size (6-foot-2, 161 pounds) coming into the Young Stars Classic but is confident after succeeding against older players in the SHL.
"It isn't my weight that got me here," Pettersson said. "I think those questions would already be answered last season, but maybe I didn't do enough. My style of hockey is not to have big muscles."

Pettersson's style is about skill, whether it's slick passing, using his long reach to stickhandle through opponents, or a shot he worked hard last season to improve. He is expected to start his first NHL training camp at center despite playing all but seven games in the SHL at right wing. But no matter where Pettersson plays, he should get plenty of offensive opportunities for the Canucks, who lost the Sedin twins, its all-time leading scorers, to retirement.
It started Friday on a line with Dahlen, who also played with Pettersson at Timra IK in Sweden's second division two of the past three seasons, combining for 85 points (44 goals, 41) in 2016-17. They had six points against the Jets, with Dahlen scoring once and getting the primary assist on each of Pettersson's goals.
"Some of you guys say we are the new Sedins but we are not there yet," Pettersson said. "We don't have that chemistry yet, but if we get there one day we will be more than happy."