Prospect Elias Pettersson to join Abbotsford Canucks next week

The Abbotsford Canucks have endured a long list of injuries this season, many of which have crippled the club’s backend for extended periods. Next week, however, they are expected to receive a strong boost from overseas.

Rick Dhaliwal from Donnie and Dhali — The Team has reported that Elias Pettersson will join the organization next week, according to his agent.

The update only confirms previous reports, after Patrik Allvin had hinted for weeks that this was the plan once DPetey’s season officially wraps up.

Västerås, his club team, will play their final regular season game on Friday, and find themselves well outside of the playoff picture. Pettersson, 20, was drafted in the third round of the 2020 entry draft, and has been increasing his stock ever since.

After a low-utilized four game stint alongside Jonathan Lekkerimäki in Örebro to start the year, the left-shot rearguard was placed on loan to Västerås, where he has been patrolling the Allsvenskan ice since.

Through 34 games, he’s scored three goals and 14 points and is second among U21 defenders in points per game (at least two games played).

Despite playing fewer games than any player above him, he sits fourth on his team in hits with 25, all the while averaging 17:45 minutes of ice time.

Pettersson also played a pivotal shutdown role with Sweden at this year’s World Junior Championships, contributing two assists en route to a Silver Medal finish.

At 6 ‘4’, 209 pounds, he’s described as a heavy and aggressive shutdown defender who isn’t afraid to jump up and provide offence in a pinch. He skates well and has a good first pass.

It’s unclear where or when he will slot into Abbotsford’s defensive corps, but he should play a solid role down the stretch.

The Canucks have 18 games remaining in their regular season schedule, which will allow the team ample time to cover systems and embed Pettersson into their backend in the midst of a playoff race.

Boasting a 28-20-4-2 record, they sit sixth in the Pacific Division.