Canucks’ Elias Pettersson, Ducks’ Leo Carlsson talk past, present and future of NHL careers
One is an established NHL star. The other is well on his way there.
During the Bauer Hockey’s Combine in Gothenburg, Sweden earlier this month, hockeysverige.se had the chance to sit down with Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks and Leo Carlsson of the Anaheim Ducks for a Q&A to discuss a range of topics.
Carlsson, 20, is the younger of the two and surprisingly detailed as he recalls his first memory of Elias Pettersson.
“It was when I was a bit younger. I remember him playing for Timrå, and I actually remember it quite well. I was sitting with my dad watching a game against Björklöven at home, and you got a breakaway in the first minute and scored.”
“I remember that too,” Elias Pettersson says with a smile. “It was a breakout play we had, and I got a perfect pass from the defenseman, then I did a double deke—right-left—and scored.”
“Crazy that I remembered that,” Carlsson laughs.
Q: You’re six years younger than Elias, and he made his breakthrough when you were still pretty young. Did he become a role model for you, Leo?
“Say no,” Pettersson whispers with a grin.
“(Laughs) But absolutely. When you had that breakout season in Växjö (2017–18), I had just moved up to U16, so the timing was perfect. I watched the highlights and followed the show you were putting on.”
Q: Was there anything specific in his game that inspired you?
LC: “The offense, of course. He’s always in the right spot, the dangerous shot, the slick hands. How he makes everything look so easy.”
Q: If we flip the question, Elias, what’s your first memory of Leo?
EP: “What comes to mind is seeing him play in Örebro while my brother was playing in Timrå. And also when he played in the World Juniors and was Sweden’s best player.”
Q: What stood out to you about him?
EP: “Good skating stride, great hands, makes his teammates better. Definitely a big presence on the ice, fast, and has it all.”
Q: Now that you’re in the same NHL division, what’s the challenge of facing a player like Leo?
EP: “It’s making sure he doesn’t get the puck in good areas, trying to keep him to the outside. But most of all, making sure he doesn’t pick up speed through the neutral zone, because then he’s hard to stop.”
Q: And what’s the challenge of stopping Elias, Leo?
LC: “You want him to have the puck as little as possible. If he gets it in the right spots, it’s often already too late. He’s super dangerous on the power play—there’s not much you can do there either when you’re ripping those one-timers.”
EP: “You don’t play on the penalty kill, do you?”
LC: “At the end of the season, I did, but not against you guys, luckily (laughs). But yeah, the goal is to make sure he has the puck as little as possible.”
There are plenty of parallels between the two. They both burst onto the scene in the SHL and were selected early in the NHL Draft—Pettersson fifth overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 2017, and Carlsson second overall by the Anaheim Ducks in 2023.
Q: But what was it really like to enter the NHL as a young, highly touted player with big expectations on your shoulders?
LC: “For me, everything was just so exciting,” recalls Elias Pettersson, who made his NHL debut in the fall of 2018 at age 19. All of a sudden, you’re playing against NHL teams you’ve always dreamed about. But you can’t forget what made you who you are. You have to try to keep being the same player that brought you to that point. The journey went so incredibly fast. Everything just hit at once, and suddenly you’re in the NHL. That was actually nice, because there wasn’t much time to overthink—it was just about getting out there and playing. In those first games, I didn’t think too much about who I was playing against. I just went out and played.”
Q: You both entered the league with experienced Swedes around you. In Vancouver, there was Alexander Edler, Loui Eriksson, Jacob Markström, and Anders Nilsson… How important was that, Elias?
EP: “Very important. Partly because they set the standard for me, but also because I had moved halfway around the world. It was obviously a huge step, but I felt at home thanks to the Swedes on the team.”
Q: And you had Jakob Silfverberg and Isac Lundeström, Leo.
LC: “It helps a lot. Especially off the ice. I had already lived on my own for a while, but like you said—you move so damn far. New stores, credit cards, everything’s new… So it’s just nice to get help with the small things. But also on the ice, of course, with how things are supposed to be done.”
Q: If we flip the question and talk contrasts. Anaheim and Vancouver are two very different places to play hockey. What’s it been like, Elias? Especially considering Vancouver is arguably the toughest market in the NHL in terms of media and expectations.
EP: (Laughs) “Yeah, I’ve been on both sides of that—good and bad. But I only see it as a positive. It’s a city that’s passionate about hockey—it’s hockey in Canada, and it doesn’t get any better.
“When we were in the playoffs last year, it was the coolest thing I’ve ever experienced. The atmosphere. Between games, you’d see cars driving around with Canucks flags. It’s hard to explain, but it was just incredible.”
Q: The upside for you, Leo, I guess, is that you can move around a bit more freely than Elias can.
LC: “Yeah, I think I’ve taken maybe three fan photos in two years (laughs). I also live pretty far from the rink. The fans are good there too, and it’s getting better and better, but there’s a big difference. When you go to Vancouver, it’s always a full barn. My first year, we were probably the worst team in the league, and we’d go to Vancouver on a Tuesday—and it was packed. It’s super cool and a lot of fun to play there.”
EP: “It’s nice to come to the warm weather too”.
LC: (Laughs) “That too. Can’t complain about the sunshine”.
Q: It does rain quite a bit in Vancouver…
EP: “Yeah, unfortunately. But at least the winters aren’t that cold.”
Q: But how have you dealt with the fact that you can’t move around as freely as someone like Leo?
EP: “It depends on how you look at it. Sure, you get recognized, but it’s because you play hockey and you’re living your childhood dream. I just try to take it in stride. I had idols growing up, so I just try to be as friendly and upbeat as I can. Not that I always succeed at that every day (laughs), but if you’re getting recognized because you play hockey, that’s a good problem to have.”
Q: I’m guessing you’ve had more than three selfies, unlike Leo…
EP: “Yeah, but the people who come up are always nice, so I just try to spend a little time with them.”
Even though the 2025–26 NHL season is still more than three months away, the serious work has already begun for Elias Pettersson and Leo Carlsson.
After a tough, injury-riddled year, Pettersson has plenty to prove this fall. During the 2024–25 season, he recorded just 45 points (15 goals, 30 assists) in 64 games—almost half of the 89 points he tallied the year before. The criticism has been harsh, and the $11.6 million-per-season contract he signed with the Vancouver Canucks adds even more pressure on the 26-year-old to bounce back.
For Leo Carlsson, it’s the third and final year of his entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks. A strong season would put him in a very favorable position heading into negotiations for his next deal.
“I want to be able to start the season the way I ended the last one,” says Leo Carlsson, referring to the 25 points he put up in 28 games after the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
“I just want to keep it going and build confidence from that. I’m going to try not to hit any slumps—which is easy to say now, of course. But that’s what’s been a bit off in my game, not being able to maintain a consistent level. That’s my main goal right now.”
Q: Is that something you think comes with experience?
LC: “Absolutely. You get more and more comfortable in the league too,” he replies, before adding:
“And I’m also itching to win a faceoff against Elias this winter.”
Q: That hasn’t happened yet?
LC: “Maybe one, but not many (chuckles)”.
EP: “I think I had my record against you guys—I think it was 20–5 in faceoffs”.
Q: What about you, Elias? What’s your goal heading into the season?
EP: “My goal? Well… last season clearly wasn’t anywhere near the level I want to be at. But what can you say… that’s in the past. I’m only looking forward now and want to get back to being the player I know I can be.”
Q: How are your preparations going, Leo?
LC: “Just training—a lot—with my buddies in Karlstad. I’ll get back on the ice a bit later. Just a regular hockey summer, really.”
Q: I’m guessing it’s pretty similar for you, Elias?
EP: “Yeah, absolutely. Training all summer. The offseason is longer this year since we missed the playoffs, so it’s about taking advantage of that extra time and getting into the best possible shape for next season.”
Q: You missed the end of last season due to injury. Have you had time to recover?
EP: “I’ve recovered. There were a few nagging things during the season, but everything has healed up now and I’m going full speed in the gym.”
Q: Let’s finish by flipping the script a little—Leo, how many points will Elias put up in 2025–26?
EP: “Just say more than last year (laughs)”.
LC: “Hmm, I think you can get 92 points next season, absolutely.”
Q: Would you be happy with that, Elias?
EP: “Yeah, absolutely.”
LC: “I think you could hit 100 too. Somewhere between 92 and 105”
Q: Elias, how many points does Leo get?
EP: “I say he averages at least a point per game.”
Q: And it’s a contract year too…
EP: “Yeah, you always play better when you have a contract year. There’s definitely something to that. (laughs)
But I think… okay, if you play all 82 games, I think you’ll score 85 points.”
LC: “I’d take that any day.”
Q: That would be 40 more than last season.
LC: “Yeah, something like that”.
Q: Bonus question—Elias, what do you think Leo’s next contract will look like?
EP: “Are you going for a bridge deal or eight years?” Elias asks Leo.
LC: “Eight.”
EP: “Okay, then I’ll say eight years at $9.5 million per.”
Q: Wow—would you take that?
LC: “I’d take that, for sure (laughs)”.
Tune in for The Sheet Draft Special, streaming live on the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel on Friday, June 27th at 7 PM EST. Hosted by Jeff Marek, this live special will cover all the action from the 2025 Draft, including expert analysis of top prospects, team-by-team breakdowns, and real-time reactions to every pick. Whether you’re tracking your team’s future stars or just love the drama of draft night, this is your go-to destination for all things Draft.