He could not say it overtly, however you realize the Canucks’ famous person needs to attain 100 factors once more.
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If you wish to perceive how a lot stronger Elias Pettersson is coming into the 2023-24 NHL season, simply have a look at his stick flex.
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The Vancouver Canucks’ star centre has bumped the flex on his Bauer persist with 95, up from the 87 flex he used a season in the past.
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The stiffer the flex, the heavier the shot, nevertheless it additionally means precision is a bit more difficult.
However in Pettersson’s case, precision has by no means been a difficulty. There may be each motive to suppose that he’ll shortly grasp a brand new stick design.
He has the innate drive that the very best of the very best have, the need to grasp every thing and something.
And it’s his sixth NHL season. He’s very conscious of the best way to put together himself now, of what gaps stay in his sport that he can nonetheless enhance on.
“I do know what to anticipate. I do know what I needed to work on. I labored arduous this summer season,” he mentioned at first of coaching camp.
Pettersson scored 102 factors in 80 video games final season, the sixth participant in Canucks historical past to hit triple digits.
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You understand the 24 12 months previous wish to do this once more, each as a result of that might be good for his staff, but in addition as a result of that might be nice for his pockets.
To get again to the century membership is a giant process, however one which begins with easy particulars.
“I’m getting stronger in the summertime,” he mentioned Wednesday after a tough skate with 9 veteran teammates who weren’t going to be enjoying in Wednesday evening’s penultimate pre-season sport in Abbotsford between the Canucks and Seattle Kraken.
Getting again within the groove along with his teammates over the previous month has gone properly.
The season begins in every week’s time and Pettersson admits he’s getting somewhat antsy.
“Guys are prepared. I believe we’ve had a very good camp,” he mentioned.
The stiffer stick will imply extra velocity on his shot, and Pettersson clearly hopes that can result in much more targets. He scored a career-high 39 targets final season.
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You understand he wish to hit 50.
Remarkably, he solely scored six targets on the ability play final season, the second-lowest complete of his profession, beating out solely the depressing 2020-21 season — he scored simply 4 occasions on the person benefit earlier than a wrist harm ended his season on the midway mark.
In different phrases, if final season’s 100 factors is the bar he needs to clear, is it doable that with these new stick tweaks, his added power and maybe some changes on the ability play, 100 factors may be a low goal for this season?
Pettersson says he by no means units targets for himself, however head coach Rick Tocchet definitely has some in thoughts.
He is aware of his energy play should change into a extra constant weapon. He has regarded on the expertise obtainable to his staff’s energy play, one which historically has seen Pettersson capturing from the suitable flank, and the top coach has mentioned he has regarded throughout the Rockies for inspiration.
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Take a look at Edmonton’s energy play, he has mentioned greater than as soon as. It’s not simply that they’ve two of the very best gamers on the planet in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, it’s additionally that they’ve numerous motion of their energy play setup.
There’s a lesson there, he believes.
“They obtained the unreal energy play. I do know McDavid is all-world, however he’s all over the place, and so is Draisaitl. We’ve got some actually good hockey gamers that may play different (energy play) positions, I believe,” he mentioned after Saturday’s 5-2 exhibition win versus the Edmonton Oilers.
In Pettersson’s case, he says he’s not beholden to capturing from any specific place.
“I like suppose I can rating from all positions on the market,” he mentioned in coaching camp. “However it comes all the way down to us on the finish of the day. We wish to rating every time we get an influence play. And if that’s me, being net-front or half wall, and so on., we’ll should look into it.”
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Hitting 100 factors, by the best way, would get Pettersson into the Canucks’ all-time top-10 in scoring, passing Bo Horvat, who ended his Canucks tenure with 420 factors in 621 profession video games.
Pettersson has 323 factors in 325 profession video games and can shortly go a trio of massive names from Canucks historical past: he begins the season two factors again of Mattias Öhlund, 5 factors again of Cliff Ronning, and 19 factors behind Patrik Sundström.
As soon as the season begins, he actually tries to not get too far forward of himself.
“I don’t suppose an excessive amount of forward. I actually simply go day-to-day and attempt to be the very best participant I could be each sport. That’s my mindset,” he mentioned.
“Believe in myself. Believe in my teammates.”
And look to beat the man throughout from him, each time he’s on the ice.
“Yeah, that’s it,” he mentioned with a smile.
OUT OF SICK BAY — Pettersson mentioned no matter had been ailing him for the final couple days, maintaining him out of form, was behind him. “No particulars for the media,” he quipped.
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