Elias Pettersson has been one of the NHL’s elite offencive players since being selected by the Vancouver Canucks with the fifth-overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.
But he was also part of an excellent draft class that completely changed the future of an NHL franchise for some teams, like the Dallas Stars. So, how does Pettersson stack up offensively compared to his fellow draft mates?
Pettersson leads all players from the 2017 Draft with 412 points in 407 career regular-season games. His 170 goals lead this list, and he has added 242 assists to maintain a point-per-game pace throughout his six-year career in Vancouver. He recorded a career-high 102 points (39 goals, 63 assists) in 2022-23, and backed that up with his second-best mark of 89 points (34 goals, 55 assists) last season.
Behind the Canucks forward is New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier… Well, following a 59-point gap that is.
Hischier sits second on the list, with 353 points (136 goals, 217 assists) in 452 games. The first-overall pick from 2017 has found loads of success over the past two seasons alongside Jesper Bratt and is one of the best two-way forwards in the game. He recorded a career-high 80 points (31 goals, 49 assists) in 2022-23 and 67 points (27 goals, 40 assists) last season.
Next up is Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar, who is likely the best blue liner in the NHL. Makar has racked up 336 points, including 86 goals in 315 games. His 250 assists pace the list, and the fourth-overall pick was named a finalist for the Norris Trophy as the League’s best defenceman for the fourth consecutive season. He won the award in 2021-22, becoming the first player in NHL history to win the Hobey Baker Award (best player in college hockey), Norris Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) in his career.
Here is the full top six:
Most points from the 2017 draft:
412 — Elias Pettersson
353 — Nico Hischier
336 — Cale Makar
315 — Robert Thomas
314 — Jason Robertson
286 — Nick Suzuki
One of the most stacked draft classes in the last decade. pic.twitter.com/dZB9vLm5gH
— Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) July 11, 2024
Makar has the edge when it comes to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, however. He leads the group with 80 points (21 goals, 59 assists) in 72 playoff games. Jason Robertson is second with 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 45 games, and Pettersson ranks third with 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) in 30 games.