How the Canucks can get Elias Pettersson thriving again

Credit: Apr 23, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (40) reacts after missing a scoring chance against the Nashville Predators during the first period in game two of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports

The Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers will faceoff in Game 5 of their second-round series Thursday night. The Oilers tied the series at two on Tuesday, defeating the Canucks 3-2 and guaranteeing at least a sixth game in this series, although no one would be surprised if this one goes to seven games.

One player the Canucks really need to get going if they want to come out on top is Elias Pettersson. After scoring 89 points this past season, the 2024 postseason has been a struggle for Pettersson, scoring only one goal and three assists in 10 games. At this point, Carson Soucy, Conor Garland, Dakota Joshua and Nikita Zadorov have more points in this series.

On Thursday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk are joined by former QMJHL head coach Jon Goyens to discuss the Canucks-Oilers series, and how Vancouver can get their one-time 100-point player going in the offensive zone.

Frank Seravalli: The big question in Vancouver is how they can possibly find a way to get Pettersson going? You mentioned how much he struggled, but when you watch his game, it’s not just a data thing, but it’s the eye-test as well.

Jon Goyens: One of the interviews of his I saw, his body language was awful, this “I’m not confident” body language. He looked like the athletes in the original Space Jam after the aliens suck their talent out of them — that’s what he looks like.

This guy put up 89 points but he doesn’t have his swagger right now. He knows how to get to the inside, and he knows how to battle out front. He can score in a variety of ways, but for some reason, he ain’t there.

Frank Seravalli: Craig Button had a great breakdown of how 55 percent of playoff goals are scored from the inner slot, and since the playoffs started, Pettersson does not have a single shot from the inner slot. It looks like, at times, he’s trying to avoid contact and playing scared, which is an amazing thing to see of a player of that magnitude.

You can watch the rest of the segment and the full episode here…