Canucks Fans Are Asking the Wrong Question About Elias Pettersson

There’s something I really like about what Ryan Johnson is saying about Elias Pettersson. It’s not complicated. The Canucks general manager wants Pettersson to feel good about coming to the rink again. He wants him to feel comfortable enough to be himself. And he wants to create an environment where Pettersson can rediscover the player who once looked like one of the NHL’s most dangerous young stars.

Now, I can already hear some of you saying, “He makes $11.6 million. Maybe he doesn’t need a hug. Maybe he needs to score some goals.”

Being an NHL star gives a team even more reason to act with consideration.

But here’s the thing about hockey players: they’re still people. And sometimes the best thing an organization can do with an expensive, struggling player isn’t immediately figure out how to trade him. Sometimes it’s figure out how to make him good again.

That seems to be where the Canucks are with Pettersson. The trade rumours have been floating around Vancouver all summer. His agent, J.P. Barry, has now pushed back on the idea that the Canucks came close to moving him or asked him to waive his no-trade protection. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles house story has added another layer to the speculation.

But maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Maybe the more interesting question isn’t where Pettersson is going. Maybe it’s whether Vancouver can get Elias Pettersson back.

Why would the Canucks give up on a player capable of 100 points?

Pettersson once could take over a game. He could see a passing lane before everybody else did. He could score, create and make the game look almost easy when he was feeling it. That player didn’t just disappear. At least, I don't think he did.

And this is where the Canucks’ system matters. If the Canucks can give Pettersson a structure that lets him play instinctively rather than constantly thinking about what he’s supposed to be doing, that could be a big deal. Give him linemates who complement him. Give him predictable support when he has the puck. Give him a little freedom to make plays instead of making every mistake feel like evidence that something is wrong.

In other words, make hockey fun again.

That doesn't mean coddling him. It means understanding the investment and figuring out how to make it appreciate again. The Canucks are paying Pettersson superstar money because they believe he can be a superstar. If they can restore that player, they’ve got something pretty valuable.

And personally, I’d love to see it. I’d love to see Pettersson have a 100-point season. I’d love to see him become the player who leads this young Vancouver team into whatever comes next. Maybe that eventually means he gets traded. Maybe it doesn't.

But why rush to that conclusion?

The Canucks’ first job should be getting Elias Pettersson feeling like Elias Pettersson again.

If Vancouver can do that, suddenly the trade rumours don't seem nearly as important. The best version of this story isn't Pettersson leaving Vancouver. It’s Pettersson staying, finding his game again and reminding everybody why the Canucks believed in him in the first place.

That would be a pretty good story too.