Monday Mailbag: Pavel Datsyuk or Elias Pettersson in their prime?

Another slow Monday in Canuckland brings us another Monday Mailbag here at CanucksArmy.

We’ve still got some prospect action as Elias Pettersson (D-Petey) and Jonathan Lekkerimäki play preseason games in the SHL and Lekkerimäki continues to impress with his new club, Örebro.

Much of the discourse last week was dominated by the OG Elias Pettersson and his upcoming contract extension.

First off, I’m not worried. I’d be blown away if Pettersson didn’t lock down a contract extension with the Canucks before the 2024-25 season when he is scheduled to become an RFA. The only way I can legitimately see him wanting to go elsewhere is if the Vancouver Canucks absolutely crap the bed and miss the playoffs yet again in 2023-24.

Is that possible?

Absolutely.

But it just has to turn around for the Canucks one of these years and this coming season feels like enough of the positions of need have been addressed. The team appears to be in a better position to not fall apart and keep themselves in the conversation for the playoffs with meaningful games in March and April.

Honestly, this is a bit of a slower mailbag and I totally get that. Everyone is out enjoying the final few weeks of summer and next time this week, we will talking about the first mailbag in the month of September — the month of Young Stars in Penticton and Canucks training camp in Victoria.

We will push through, though. Just as we have all offseason long. Some of the Speed Round questions will be used as regular mailbag questions this week. Heck, we might need to bring back questions from the comments sections again with the #MM.

Let’s not waste any more words, and instead, dive into this week’s mailbag and see what the wonderful people of #CanucksTwitter had to ask this week.

Last season, 33 defencemen scored 10 or more goals in the NHL.

Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek are the two top candidates to put up 10 goals next season for the Canucks, but if I were able to bet on hockey, I’d bet that one Canucks defenceman scores 10 goals next season.

It’s more likely to be Hughes with all of the first unit power play time he will receive, but if Hronek can push the pace at five-on-five and add two or three with the second power play unit, he may be the better choice to hit double-digit goals next season.

I’ll say that one defenceman will hit 10+ goals next season and I’d guess it would be Hughes.

I’ve certainly caught some highlights but have not made an effort to go out of my way to watch.

It will depend on how much more Elias Pettersson can improve. I don’t think we have seen the young Swede hit his prime just yet but for now, you kind of have to take Pavel Datsyuk in his prime.

Datsyuk didn’t ever post 100 points in a season like Pettersson has but Datsyuk hit his prime during the 2008-09 season where he was third in Hart Trophy voting and won the Selke and Lady Byng Trophies.

Datsyuk was a two-way force in his prime and had some of the best hands and playmaking abilities we have ever seen. Pettersson isn’t quite there yet, but check again in three years. It may be Pettersson with a bullet.

Arshdeep Bains certainly impressed in his rookie season of pro hockey but with the glut of talent on the wings, getting into over five NHL games next season is going to be difficult.

We can see him getting into a few games next season but if you are setting the over/under at five games, we are probably taking the under. If Bains can become an utterly dominant penalty killer, it will certainly help his chances of getting into NHL games. He’s going to need to make improvements to his pace to be a consistent NHLer and we are excited to see how he looks in camp and during preseason action. Give me the under but I’d love to be wrong.

I’m going to guess that his next contract is for three years and he matches up with Quinn Hughes’ contract.

If Pettersson pops off for like 110 points and continues to be in the Selker conversation, maybe he gets a mega-deal at like $13,500,000 over eight years but I’ll guess he signs for three years and his AAV is over $13,500,000 on his deal after the short-term commitment.

I’m a big fan of Sugarloaf Mountain for a chill spot to bring someone and show them Nanaimo. As for a restaurant/bar, I’ll go with the Longwood because of those amazing raspberry beers and blueberry salted calamari.

If they get some bounces yes, if not, no.

Dog house: Nils Höglander

DAWG house: Vasily Podkolzin

12 goals and 18 assists is probably the bar for a successful season. If they play in the top-six or on the power play, that probably jumps to like 16 goals and 25 assists.

Not if it’s for three years. If that contract is four or more years, yes.

In terms of moving the puck, I believe they got faster and the additions of Pius Suter and Teddy Blueger will bring some pace in the bottom-six. I’d say they got faster.

I don’t think that 23-year-old Linus Karlsson will be there but he might and if he is, he’s my pick to lead the Canucks in scoring at Young Stars. If he’s not there, give me Aatu Räty.

My pick for a pleasant surprise is Kirill Kudryavtsev. He should be a top-four defenceman at this tournament and now has some OHL competition with Hunter Brzustewicz and Vilmer Alriksson. I can see Kudryavtsev being one that surprises with his skill and pace at this tournament. The good news there is that Kudryavtsev is still only 19 years old.

Well, that wraps up another Monday Mailbag here at CanucksArmy. Due to the lack of Twitter questions this week, I’ll be checking the comment sections for questions ahead of next week’s mailbag. If you have a question, start or finish your comment with the hashtag ‘#MM’ and I’ll try to get to it next week if it’s a good question.

Enjoy one of the final weeks of summer. See you next Monday.