Elias Pettersson, centre for the Vancouver Canucks, is feeling the heat this season. He is signed for eight years at US $92.8 million, and after 15 games he has just 3 goals and 10 points well below what many expected. Though Pettersson’s two-way game and passing are still good, he says he still hasn’t discovered his scoring ability. The Canucks are 7-8-0 and average only 2.67 goals per game; hence Pettersson needs to take the charge.
Elias Pettersson admits he needs to shoot more after Canucks’ recent struggles
In a recent interview with Sportsnet, Elias Pettersson was very honest about his mindset. He said: “I agree, I can shoot more. There’s nothing hindering me from shooting. I think I’ve always been a pass-first guy, and if I think I could put someone else in a better position to score, then I always do that. That’s how I see the game.”
Patrik Allvin on the idea of the #Canucks rebuilding:
“I don’t think you can do that when you have good players in Quinn Hughes, [Thatcher] Demko, Elias Pettersson & Brock Boeser, and then the next wave of young players.” https://t.co/Ix0xqutKJa
— Grady Sas (@GradySas) November 9, 2025
Then Pettersson added: “Definitely, I think it’s a mindset that I can be better at. Like, I know I have a good shot, but maybe I haven’t scored as much lately, so I’m trying to find a good pass instead. It’s a mindset. I know I can score…”
He’s aware that the shot count is alarmingly low: just 23 shots in 15 games so far. Coach Adam Foote has praised Pettersson’s improved strength in the offseason and his defensive zone work but emphasised the need for more offensive punch.
Elias Pettersson’s past, present and the pressure
Pettersson had 45 points in 64 games last year, a far cry from his 102-point outstanding season in the 2022-23 campaign.
The decline in output coincided with locker room strife, including rumours of conflict with past teammate J.T. Miller, swapped in January.
During the summer of 2025, Pettersson said at the Swedish Olympic camp: “Actually, I haven’t thought about it, but for myself it’s revenge. I’m not happy with last season. I know what I’m capable of.”
He spent the off-season building his body and speed to turn things around for the Canucks.
The weight is actual: a large contract, a team depending on his scoring, and supporters expecting further. Pettersson’s passing is still good, even if his defense is growing; the goals are still not yet coming.
The Canucks and Pettersson himself are hoping the next few weeks bring more shots, more goals and more of the star performance everyone expects.
