Canucks' Pettersson rediscovering his game in healthier environment

EDMONTON – There really isn’t a chicken-or-egg conundrum about what may be the rebirth of Elias Pettersson as an impactful player.

He doesn’t feel good because he’s playing better. He’s playing better because he feels good.

Of course, both of those things are true. But the root of Pettersson’s resurgence through the first 18 games of this National Hockey League season is a healthier environment around the Vancouver Canucks and the better headspace the Swedish centre brought into training camp after two years in which he was like a hologram many nights.

“For sure, I definitely feel a difference,” Pettersson told Sportsnet in a quiet conversation after Friday’s practice in Edmonton. “I mean, I wasn't true to myself these last two years. But this summer, the end of last season, I started working with a mental coach and, honestly, that's been game-changing for me — just to be clear on where to put my focus. Obviously, I feel like myself, but better. I know there's still growth that I want to do, but it's definitely been a huge difference for me.

“I mean, (team) results don't show it, but I think the environment and everything for everyone is better. I don't like to talk about the past, but just the environment they’ve created, it's good. I've seen the difference.”

The environment, and what it could mean for Pettersson, is something general manager Ryan Johnson has talked about — and cultivated — since he was hired in May to become the Canucks’ new general manager and chief architect of the biggest rebuild in franchise history.

He and coach Manny Malhotra have been emphatic that the foundation for the rebuild would be a positive environment and expectations about player standards, including how they would be treated and how they should treat each other.

Near the epicentre of the dysfunction that former Canucks president Jim Rutherford amplified publicly, Pettersson averaged just 15 goals and 48 points the last two seasons after being strong-armed into a franchise-record $92.8 contract ahead of the 2024 NHL trade deadline.

But it’s not just Pettersson’s four goals and 14 assists in 18 games this fall on the last-place Canucks that is encouraging for Johnson and his staff, but the player’s overall level of engagement and willingness to lead the fight most nights. 

Pettersson leads all NHL forwards with 24 shot blocks and 69 puck-battles won, is second among Canuck forwards with 39 hits, leads the league in faceoffs, is tied for eighth with nine penalties drawn (against just two taken), and is on Vancouver’s top line, first-unit penalty kill and its power play.

“Yes, he’s producing offensively, but you can not find one ounce of Elias’ production coming from cheating the game,” Johnson said Friday. “He is playing a complete game — physicality, faceoffs, puck battles. I’m really happy that he is getting uncomfortable in a way that makes him feel good.”

“I mean, you can see his confidence level,” linemate Brock Boeser said. “When he gets the puck, he's making plays and making those plays we used to see a few years ago: you know, spinarama with the puck and drawing penalties, guys tripping him. You think you have him, and then he dekes you out and draws a penalty. Just so much more confident with the puck and making plays.

“After the last couple of years. . . this year, he's just been so dialled in. He comes to the rink, and his attitude and his effort has been so good. You can see it. You can see the way he's playing in the games, and he's working hard in practices. He has that swagger about him when he's going, and you can feel that again.”

Confidence is another thing that has returned for Pettersson.

Pettersson said he doesn’t want to talk about the last couple of seasons and is scrupulous about not naming names. Part of the reason he is still with the team — besides the lack of a trade market for struggling players making $11.6 million annually — is that Pettersson was never a bad teammate in the dressing room.

He needed to improve his conditioning and just play better. But he supported teammates, didn’t yell at or belittle anyone, and tried hard.

It’s the mental side of things that has helped him rediscover something close to his A-game.

“I've been trying mental coaches before, but it never helped, so I was skeptical,” Pettersson, 27, said. “A good friend of mine recommended him because he works with him, too. It’s been really good. He’s really good. It’s another guy on your team."

For now, Pettersson isn’t naming his mental coach. Their relationship is still developing.

So is Pettersson’s relationship with his new bosses, Malhotra and Johnson, whom he has known since his formative years in the NHL.

“I wouldn’t say we had a deep relationship, but I’ve known Petey a long time,” Johnson said. “We had some really good conversations this summer, not just about hockey, but about life, family. Having that understanding, I felt like I knew what he needed. I felt like if we could deliver that (environment), it would make a big difference not only to the player but the person. At the end of the day, the one thing I wanted was that when Petey woke up in the morning, he would just be really excited to go to the rink and play hockey. And I feel like we’re on the right path there.”

Johnson acknowledged when he was hired that his empathy has been mistaken for weakness at times by outsiders. But the GM said it is difficult for any player — or any person — to feel good about themselves and be able to flourish at work when their environment is unhealthy.

He said he didn’t want Pettersson or other players to feel like they can’t be themselves.

“I think in this day and age, everybody in their own way is dealing with something quietly, personally or professionally,” Johnson explained Friday. “So when it comes to this environment and some of the empathy that comes along with it, it gives people an opportunity. . . to be honest and feel like they can talk about some of their fears or their frustrations and not feel judged. 

“It was one of my speaking points to the group on Day 1 of training camp: I find enormous strength in weakness. And if you have a forum that allows that (to be expressed), from my standpoint, that’s a huge step.”

Malhotra said this week that he sees “joy” back in Pettersson’s game. He is not surprised that his top forward is getting noticed for hits and winning puck battles.

“Going back to when he came in (to the NHL), seeing the talent that he possesses and his competitive nature, it's not a real shock,” the coach said. “Like, when he puts his mind to something and he wants to get a puck, he's going to go get a puck. It's great to see that he is that engaged. But I'm not shocked by it.

“It looks to me like he's enjoying hockey right now, and that's one of my major goals with the guys. Like: ‘This is a really fun time in your life. The National Hockey League's a pretty good league. You’ve got to enjoy it.’ And he seems to be enjoying it right now.”

Pettersson would be enjoying it much more if the Canucks weren’t 3-14-1. They play the Edmonton Oilers late Saturday.

"It's definitely harder (losing games),” Pettersson said. “But it’s definitely. . . fun being myself out there, being creative and making plays and focusing on the right things. I’m feeling myself out there. I'm just trying to be the best player I can be every day and every game.”