Canucks: Strong stamina will drive Elias Pettersson’s success

Elias Pettersson has been a consistent All-Star this season for the Vancouver Canucks. His stamina will play a major role in the team’s playoff picture.

Remember how excellent Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson was performing right around this time last season?

Kicking off the 2019 New Year, the Swedish sensation scored his first career hat trick on the road against the Ottawa Senators. He appeared to be an unstoppable threat for the Canucks with full intentions of reaching the 40-goal mark. He was above and beyond the Canucks’ best player.

Nobody saw it coming, but at the time, the young 20-year-old Pettersson was stopped dead in his tracks hitting a brick wall offensively —  simply unable to keep pace with the grinding NHL schedule. As the season wore on, earning two points grew more difficult and the sniper lost his scoring touch. He managed to get the puck over the goal line from the blade of his own stick just three times in his final 27 games.

Pettersson still went on to capture the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie, but you could tell that wasn’t enough to satisfy the kid who always wants more.

Per Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre Sportsnet, Pettersson wasn’t happy with his energy in the back half of the season and sought out help for strength and conditioning.

"“I talked to my strength coach at home (about) what I want to get better at — and stronger, of course. He put up a schedule for me… and I feel great. Quicker, like in tight turns. And, of course, more leg power, more conditioning. At the end of last season, I felt kind of tired, and not 100 percent energy towards every game. That would be the main focus this summer.”"

You can tell how devoted he is in becoming one of the best players in the NHL. He’s driven to get better every single day, and he wants to take this team to the playoffs. Expectations are definitely high for the young protege.

Head coach Travis Green knows the team’s playoff hopes hang in the balance of Pettersson’s performance deep into the campaign. He said this in early September:

"“Petey becoming a better player is a big part of us taking the next step, I can be very open and honest with him, but I know he’s driven to win. There are other young players I’ve seen in junior and the AHL that were very good players but weren’t driven to win. I know he’s going to do everything he can to be a better hockey player and push us to be a better hockey team. I believe Quinn Hughes has that in him. And I believe Brock took a lot of steps last year, too.”"

To put it simply, Petterson has done everything possible to improve this season, and to make the team better overall. They are currently on a seven-game win streak that stands as the third-longest in franchise history, and Pettersson has been the driving force of that success.

As the team embarks on a five-game road trip, and as the points become more valuable down the stretch, Pettersson is going to have to prove he is the better player he aims to be. So far, so good. He’s more of a complete player now and looks prepared to handle the next 40 games.

And as the games get tighter and playoff spots start being claimed by other teams, the Canucks will be better equipped this season to keep the ship afloat and steer the team into its first playoff berth in five years.

Another difference-maker this season in the push for playoff hockey for Vancouver is the fact that Pettersson isn’t alone.  With the additions of J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes, the Vancouver power play is lethal, and they’ll help support Pettersson when they find themselves in thick.

With his consistent performance so far, Pettersson’s stamina down the stretch shouldn’t waiver. At this moment, playoff positioning is in sight for Pettersson and the Canucks. If I had to put my money on it, I would confidently place the bank on the elite centre meeting expectations and even flirting with 90 points, all while helping the Canucks punch their ticket to the playoffs.