- Brock Boeser says Elias Pettersson is in a “way better” headspace than the last two years
- Pettersson has 96 points in 138 games since his $11.6 million cap hit kicked in
- Read below for what Boeser wants from Pettersson under Vancouver’s new regime
Brock Boeser had a front-row seat for the worst two years of Elias Pettersson’s career. He thinks his teammate is finally out the other side of it.
Boeser was asked about Pettersson at this week’s NHL/NHLPA player media tour in Las Vegas, and the read was a good one.
“Seems like he’s in a great headspace. Way better than the last few years.”
That came via The Canadian Press, with Boeser in Vegas as Vancouver’s lone representative at the tour. Take a look at how the Canucks documented his week:
Pettersson has a lot to shake off. He signed an eight-year, $92.8 million extension in March 2024 that carries an $11.6 million cap hit and a full no-movement clause.
Since that deal kicked in he has 96 points in 138 games and sits at minus-40. He averaged 1.03 points per game before signing it and 0.70 after.
The feud with J.T. Miller poisoned the 2024-25 room until Miller was dealt to the Rangers that January. Pettersson finished that year with 45 points in 64 games.
Last season was worse. A second straight 15-goal campaign ended at 51 points in 74 games for a club that finished dead last in the league at 25-49-8, and trade talk followed him all summer.
Vancouver gutted the operation after that. Henrik and Daniel Sedin are now co-presidents of hockey operations, Ryan Johnson has the general manager’s chair, and Manny Malhotra replaced Adam Foote behind the bench after one season.
Boeser was asked what all that change means for his teammate.
“It’s just a fresh start. He really needs to take advantage of it … try and put everything aside and just focus on what he can do.”
At 29 and signed through 2031-32, Boeser is one of the few veterans left in a very young room. He knows what the job is now:
“I have to take a big step in that role. Be a guy that the younger guys can lean on and talk to, be there for them and set an example.”
Boeser flew home and went straight to work, skating with teammates Friday morning. Catch him back on the ice:
Pettersson has been skating at informal sessions ahead of camp, which opens next week. Malhotra gets his first real look at the version of Pettersson that Boeser says is back.
