Canucks’ Elias Pettersson’s contract leverage lifted even when he’s not playing

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One player doesn’t make a team, but any team can be a shadow of itself without a prime performer.

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It has always been evident in Edmonton where Connor McDavid is that superstar straw that continues to stir the offensive drink with dazzling displays. On any given night, the National Hockey League’s leading scorer can transition the Oilers from plodding to productive.

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It’s now clear in Vancouver that minus the flu-ridden Elias Pettersson, the Canucks struggled to generate offence without their responsible, smooth-skating, precise playmaking and sharp-shooting centre. 

Pettersson returned to the ice Thursday morning in anticipation of facing the Seattle Kraken on a line with Brock Boeser and Andrei Kuzmenko. And Christmas could come early to the Lower Mainland in form or a rare home-ice win.

“I feel better and I just want to be out there — it’s very frustrating,” said Pettersson, who missed two games in which the Canucks suffered 5-1 drubbings on Monday against St. Louis and Saturday against Winnipeg.

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“I was starting to feel ill (Dec.14 in Calgary) and it’s going to be about conditioning because I haven’t done anything. But it’s fine. There are bigger problems out there in the world than me getting back from being sick.”

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The club’s leading scorer has taken his game to another level this season. He’s stronger on pucks, smarter with pucks and exhibiting an evolving leadership role by backchecking with conviction and even blocking shots to help preserve a victory.  

“Any time he can join the group it makes us a better group,” said Canucks coach Bruce Boudreau. “He leads in a lot of categories and you can see the difference when he’s out there and not out there. It’s a big difference.

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“Stamina is the big thing and maybe a little bit of rust, but these guys are great athletes and that’s more of an excuse than anything else.”

When you see Pettersson play for the first time as a teammate, it makes a lasting impression.

“You heard from afar how skilled he is, but I didn’t know how complete a player he is,” said Canucks’ free-agent acquisition Curtis Lazar, who has played the demanding centre position but is more comfortable on the wing.

“The thing for him is once he understands how much we rally behind him when he gets that voice (in the room) because he’s a quiet kid. But the way he plays is incredibly smart and you can throw him in that Selke Trophy conversation at some point.

“And he’s a gamer for a guy who’s not that big in stature. He competes. He’s been one of our few bright spots this season.”

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The seven-day illness absence also proved Pettersson has future-worth leverage because his value actually rises when he’s not playing — he’s that good.

Pettersson’s agent, J.P. Barry, recently said his client is in for the long haul in Vancouver and wants to commit to that in a long-term extension.

The slick Swede is in the second year of a three-year, $22.05-million bridge contract extension and will have arbitration rights when that deal expiries (all figures are in U.S. dollars). 

A decision to bet on himself and then see where the Canucks are positioned is proving a prudent move because the two sides can start talking extension next summer.

Pettersson is also positioned for a qualifying offer of $8.28 million. It’s the lower of the 120-per-cent formula of annual average value, or 100 per cent of the final year of the deal.

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It’s not a stretch to suggest Pettersson will probably command $9 million as a starting point in the extension process. Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders signed an eight-year, $73.2-million extension on Oct. 4 and his $9.15-million annual cap hit is based on past performance and expected production.

Pettersson, 24, was producing at an amazing pace with 34 points (13-21) through his first 29 games and his 1.17 points per game ranked 21st among the league’s elite. From a franchise perspective, those are gaudy numbers.

When he hit 32 points with a pair of assists in Montreal on Dec.5 through 26 games, it made Pettersson the first Canuck to reach that total in 26 or fewer games since countrymen Daniel and Henrik Sedin (30 points in 24 games) accomplished the feat in 2010-11.

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Barzal, 25, had 31 points (4-27) through 33 games this season and was averaging 0.94 points per outing (66th). However, his production over the previous four seasons is the barometer for a Pettersson comparable because the New York Islanders centre had 226 points and Pettersson 221.

The Canucks centre was also limited to 26 games in a shortened 56-game season in 2020-21.

Canucks forward Sheldon Dries has had to grind to stay in the NHL as a bottom-six fixture. He knows how hard it is to get to this level, so placing a value on Pettersson’s overall future worth has to include the intangibles that don’t show up on a scoresheet.

“It’s his will to always get better,” said Dries, who has played centre and wing this season. “He’s a superstar in this league for a reason and he’s never satisfied. He’s always working on something, whether it’s his shot or defensive play or faceoffs. 

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“And that’s what makes him great. He’s becoming a leader and it’s nice to be around him every day.”

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