Canucks GM Patrik Allvin on Elias Pettersson’s struggles: ‘He’s well aware of it’

Elias Pettersson’s season has been under heavy scrutiny this year – and that continued during Vancouver Canucks GM Patrik Allvin’s media availability on Monday.

Pettersson has 29 points in 39 games in 2024-25, putting him on pace for just 56 points. That would be his lowest output in a full campaign, which is a tough pill to swallow given he’s in the first year of an eight-year contract worth $11.6 million per season.

Considered to be one of Vancouver’s biggest stars, Pettersson has three points in his past 12 games – with his struggles being amplified given all the trade talk surrounding both him and J.T. Miller.

“I think he’s well aware of it,” said Allvin about Pettersson’s struggles. “He takes ownership. It’s a process for him to become a star player in the league. The work that he’s putting in, it’s not a finished product yet.”

Pettersson is still fifth in team scoring, sitting behind Quinn Hughes, Conor Garland, Miller and Jake DeBrusk. Miller missed 10 games after taking a leave of absence from the club, but still has 31 points in 35 games.

The Swedish forward missed six games due to an undisclosed injury earlier this month. He also dealt with a knee injury that he said impacted his play during the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs.

“I see signs after his injury here that he’s playing a solid two-way hockey game, pushing the pace harder, and he will continue to work on his game,” Allvin said. “And for me, I’m more about the process and playing the right way. And when you do so, the points will come.”

Allvin would not comment on the future of any players ahead of the trade deadline, but did credit Miller for his performance on Saturday when he had two assists against the Edmonton Oilers. It marked the end of a five-game pointless streak, the longest of his season.

The Canucks are 3-5-2 over the past 10 games, putting them third in the Western Conference wild-card fight. The team is just one point behind the Calgary Flames through 45 games and sits two points ahead of the St. Louis Blues.