Elias Pettersson is a very talented young center who represents the future of the Vancouver Canucks on their offense. The Swede is currently a restricted free agent, having completed all three years of his entry-level contract.
"It's my agents who are talking to the Canucks and then they follow up with me. We are unable to come to an agreement right now, but I am confident that we will find common ground eventually. Both parties have to be happy, so we can find a solution, but I'm not worried about that."
"I want to stay in Vancouver for now, but I also want to play for a team that is constantly striving for greatness. I think we have a chance to be that kind of team next year. Will we have that chance when my contract is up? I don't know. All I want to do is play in a market where I can win."
If Jim Benning sees this statement from Pettersson, I hope he takes notes, because he could lose his star player very soon if the Canucks don't have the success he hopes for. If not he will have to give a good pitch sale to convince him to sign in Vancouver with a long term contract. The BC team has a lot of talented players to build their future with, including Horvat, Hughes, Boeser, Demko and Hoglander, but will it be enough to convince Pettersson to stay?
Recall that Pettersson was the fifth overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. He has accumulated a total of 153 points, including 65 goals, in 165 games since joining the Bettman circuit in 2018.
