Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson is in the midst of his best season yet — his two-goal, three-assist outing in a win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday pushed him to a career-high 71 points. With 24 games remaining, his first 100-point season seems within reach.
But his spectacular year has Canucks fans wondering: what is his future in Vancouver?
Speaking with Sportsnet's Scott Oake on After Hours, the 24-year-old Swede insisted he is more focused on finishing his season strong and less so on what lies ahead.
"What I'm focusing on is finishing this season well, then I'll deal with what's ahead then," he said. "I don't like to focus too much on what's ahead; I like to live in the moment."
Even though he's focused on the here and now, Pettersson didn't shy away when Oake asked the million-dollar question.
"Yeah, I am," Pettersson said when asked if he was willing to sign a long-term extension in Vancouver, something he is eligible to do this off-season. "It's a great city to play in.
"I know we will discuss that in the summer, so I'm looking forward to that, but at the moment I'm just focusing on my play now."
And impressive play, it is. He potted his third five-point game of the year, bringing his season totals to 27 goals and 71 points — undoubtedly the Canucks' best player.
After former Canucks sniper and captain Bo Horvat left, would it not be fitting to bestow the captaincy on Pettersson as he cements his place amongst the NHL elite? Even Horvat gave his stamp of approval, endorsing his fellow All-Star for his former role.
Not so fast, Pettersson cautions.
"That would definitely be an honour, but for me, I don't want to stress or rush into a decision," he said. "I've never been a captain, I'm a pretty quiet guy. I want to take my time thinking about it in the summer, and make my decision."
Catch Pettersson and the Canucks when they visit the Nashville Predators on Tuesday at 5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet Pacific.
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