Elias Pettersson
Swedish forward, Calder winner, Canucks alternate captain.
Fredrik Elias Pettersson (born 12 November 1998) is a Swedish professional ice hockey forward and alternate captain for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected fifth overall by the Canucks in the 2017 NHL entry draft and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's best rookie in 2018–19, becoming the second Canuck to do so after Pavel Bure.
Pettersson was born in Sundsvall, Sweden, to Irene Jonsson and Torbjörn Pettersson. His older brother Emil likely chose the name "Fredrik" in honor of forward Fredrik Lindberg. Through his paternal grandfather, born Toivo Jokelainen, Pettersson is of Finnish descent; his grandfather was sent to Sweden in 1941 as a Finnish war child. Raised in Ånge, Pettersson started playing hockey at age three, alongside his brother Emil for Ånge IK's youth team. Because Ånge had few teams and his father drove the Zamboni at the local rink, Pettersson got extra ice time as a child. He also played soccer until age 13, when he quit to focus on hockey.
When he was 13, in 2011, two of his best friends, Valerik and Davit Danielyan, were deported from Sweden to Armenia. Pettersson and some friends spoke to a local newspaper and TV station in support of the family. The Danielyans were allowed to return to Sweden about 80 days later, in 2012. Pettersson discussed this in interviews in 2019 and 2020.
In the 2013–14 season, while in eighth grade, Pettersson began playing for Timrå IK's U15 squad because Ånge lacked a junior team. For his first two seasons with Timrå, he lived in Ånge and commuted roughly 100 km to practice several times a week. He later moved to Tallnäs, closer to Timrå.
Pettersson made his professional debut with Timrå IK of HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden's second-tier league, in the 2015–16 season, though a knee injury delayed his start. It was considered unusual for an elite prospect to join Timrå rather than an SHL team. In his second season, he finished second on the team in scoring with 41 points in 43 games. Unable to help Timrå earn promotion, he signed a three-year contract with the Växjö Lakers of the SHL on 6 April 2017.
Ranked second among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting for the 2017 draft, Pettersson was the first Swedish player taken, fifth overall, by the Vancouver Canucks on 23 June 2017.
Quick Facts
- Height
- 6 ft 2 in
- Weight
- 176 lb
- Born
- 12 November 1998
- Birthplace
- Sundsvall, Sweden
- Position
- Forward
- Shoots
- Left
- League
- NHL
- Team
- Vancouver Canucks
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Pettersson was born in Sundsvall, Sweden, and grew up in Ånge. He began playing hockey at three years old with his older brother Emil for Ånge IK's youth team. His father drove the Zamboni at the local rink, giving Pettersson extra ice time. He also played soccer until age 13. In 2011, when he was 13, two of his best friends were deported from Sweden to Armenia; Pettersson and friends were interviewed by local media in support of the family, who were permitted to return in 2012.
Pettersson made his professional debut with Timrå IK of HockeyAllsvenskan in 2015–16 after a knee injury delayed his start. He signed with Växjö Lakers of the SHL in April 2017. In his rookie SHL season (2017–18), he led the league in points and plus-minus, set the junior scoring record, and led the playoffs in goals, points, and plus-minus, winning the Le Mat Trophy and the Stefan Liv Memorial Trophy as playoff MVP.
Drafted fifth overall by the Canucks in 2017, Pettersson signed an entry-level contract in May 2018 and made his NHL debut on 3 October 2018. He scored his first goal against Mike Smith. In his rookie season, he set the Canucks franchise record for points by a rookie (66), surpassing Pavel Bure and Ivan Hlinka. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2019. In the 2019–20 playoffs, he recorded 18 points in 17 games as the Canucks advanced to the second round.
Reader's Guide
Pettersson's significance lies in his immediate impact as a rookie, winning the Calder Memorial Trophy and setting the Canucks' rookie scoring record. His SHL dominance—leading the league in points and plus-minus as a junior, setting the junior scoring record, and winning playoff MVP—marked him as an elite prospect. His selection fifth overall in 2017 represented a key draft for the Canucks, and his chemistry with Jonathan Dahlén was noted. Pettersson's playoff performance in 2020, tying for the team lead with 18 points and helping the Canucks win their first playoff series since 2011, underscored his value. He has been named to multiple NHL All-Star Games and won the hardest shot competition at the Canucks Skills Competition with a 99.4 mph slap shot, later recording a 102.4 mph shot at the All-Star Game. His alternate captain role reflects his leadership. The nickname 'Alien', acquired in the SHL, followed him to Vancouver.
Did You Know?
- Pettersson is of Finnish descent through his paternal grandfather, who was sent to Sweden as a Finnish war child in 1941.
- He set the SHL record for most points by a junior in a single season (56) in 2017–18, breaking Kent Nilsson's record from 1975–76.
- Pettersson won the hardest shot competition at the 2020 NHL All-Star Game with a 102.4 mph slap shot, the second-highest mark by a forward in competition history.
- He was named the SHL Rookie of the Year and Forward of the Year in 2018.
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