For much of last season, Elias Pettersson (the Vancouver Canucks forward) looked like a player searching for his own shadow. The hands, vision, and two-way awareness were still sometimes present, but I was honestly worried about his health. Was something deeply wrong that no one knew about?
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Watching him on the ice, it seemed to me that his brain and his body weren’t working in sync. He was slow to make decisions. As soon as he got the puck, it seemed that he was confused about what to do. He often gave it away to either a player on his own team or a player on the other team. He looked nothing like the player who had captured the imagination of Canucks fans early in his career.
Thinking about his swagger — that quiet certainty that he could control a game — there was none of it at all. It had totally slipped away. Whether the cause was his lingering oblique injury, frustration over his contract, the J.T. Miller escapade, or simple burnout, Pettersson’s 45-point campaign felt muted for a player of his calibre.
Now, through 11 games of the 2025–26 season, the signs of renewal are hard to miss. Pettersson only has three goals and eight points, with four of those coming this past weekend. One telling goal included a vintage one-timer on the power play against the Edmonton Oilers. However, for the first time in what seemed like months, he was not just participating in games; he was dictating them.
Pettersson Was Demanding the Puck Again
If you want to understand the change, start with body language. Pettersson was demanding the puck again — calling for it, setting up, and shooting decisively. During Sunday’s win over the Oilers, he unleashed that signature right-circle bomb, this time fed by Filip Hronek, who had replaced Quinn Hughes on the top power-play unit. It was the same confident, unhurried release fans saw during his 89-point season two seasons ago or the 102-point season before that.
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As Mike Halford and Jason Brough noted on their morning show (in the video below), “You don’t need analytics to see it — the confidence is starting to return.” I agree. Pettersson looks engaged in all three zones, but especially with the puck on his stick. He’s no longer deferring to others or turning it over for the sake of caution. That assertiveness is contagious, and for a Canucks team still trying to establish rhythm early in the season, it’s essential.
Pettersson Has Always Shown Commitment on Both Sides of the Puck
While the goals are grabbing headlines, Pettersson’s defensive work has quietly been elite. He currently leads all NHL forwards in blocked shots (22), an astonishing number for a player whose reputation has always leaned more toward finesse than grit. He’s blocking shots, taking hits to make plays, and tracking back hard through the neutral zone.
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That effort reflects a player who’s fully invested. Pettersson has always been a strong positional defender — that hasn’t changed — but now there’s a physical bite to his game again. It’s the kind of edge that coaches love because it shows commitment, not just skill. The blocked shots, the hits, the puck retrievals — all of it suggests that Pettersson’s confidence isn’t just in his shot; it’s in his all-around game.
Pettersson Is Showing Both Momentum and Meaning
Pettersson’s four-point weekend — three against the Montreal Canadiens and one against Edmonton — didn’t just help his stat line; it helped the mood in Vancouver. When he’s playing well, everything else in the Canucks’ system sharpens. The power play flows. When Hughes returns from his injury, he can push the pace more freely. Pettersson is the hinge on which the Canucks’ identity turns.
It’s also worth remembering how much he battled through last season. The oblique injury lingered for months, and his shooting mechanics suffered as a result. Even healthy again, it took time to rediscover rhythm. Hockey is as psychological as it is physical, and confidence, once shaken, doesn’t return with a single goal. It takes repetition — a few good bounces, a couple of clean finishes, and the trust that when you call for the puck, something good will happen.
Looking Ahead for Pettersson and the Canucks?
The question isn’t whether Pettersson has rediscovered his confidence — it’s whether he can sustain it. Early indications say yes. He’s moving with purpose, engaging defensively, and most importantly, playing like the puck belongs to him.
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The Canucks need this version of Pettersson. He doesn’t just score; he elevates the tempo, sharpens the team’s focus, and gives Vancouver a top-end presence that rivals anyone in the Western Conference. His rediscovered confidence isn’t just good for his numbers — it’s the foundation of the Canucks’ belief that this season can be different.
For now, all the evidence points to a simple truth: Pettersson looks like himself again. He’s confident, dangerous, and in command of his own game. And for the Canucks, that changes everything. Right now, the Canucks’ confidence (and success) still teeters and totters with Pettersson’s play.
