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Can Elias Pettersson work his way into the Canucks’ top four in 2026-27?
Photo credit: © Bob Frid-Imagn Images
By Jordan Frew
Aug 18, 2026, 12:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 17, 2026, 22:15 EDT
The defenceman Elias Pettersson suffered a sophomore slump in his 2025-26 season; however, it’s impossible to say if that’s solely on him as a player after the poor season the Vancouver Canucks had as a whole.
His game regressed all-around, but one can start to understand why that is given the play around him and the increased time spent in the defensive end.
Last season, the Canucks spent 42.8% of the time in their own end, 30th in the league, compared to his rookie season when they spent 41% of the time in their own end, 17th in the league. Pettersson spent 43.4% of his time in the Canucks’ end during his sophomore season, up from 37.7% in his rookie year.
It’s good for the Swede to spend time in the Canucks zone, as that’s where his most impactful learning will come from, but in only his second season, the extra time did impact his statistics and play. Now, with two National Hockey League seasons under his belt, a summer to make personal adjustments, staffing changes, and new players, it’s fair to hope for Pettersson’s improvement in 2026-27 season.
Even regressing last year, he showed signs of growth. He appeared regularly on the Canucks penalty kill, increased his time on ice per game from 12:49 to 14:59, and played over three-quarters of the season in the NHL, a total of 70 games. The 22-year-old has shown he’s part of the Canucks’ long-term plans. He can be a gritty, shutdown defenceman, and with the Canucks expected to improve this year to some extent, Pettersson should be doing the same.
Meeting expectations: He bounces back, playing time continues to rise
Achieving a bounce-back season should be very easy for the Swede to accomplish. That’s not to say it’s because he played so poorly last year – even though he did suffer a setback – it’s just because all aspects of the Canucks should be improving in some ways, which should positively reflect in Pettersson’s game as well.
The Canucks have removed Adam Foote from behind the bench, who had a role in the Canucks poor defensive showings last season, and brought in Manny Malhotra. They have also brought in two veteran defencemen, Jamie Oleksiak and Luke Schenn, with the latter bringing strong leadership and projected to play on the right side of Pettersson’s pairing.
As well, the Canucks are not looking for him to be an offensive defenceman. They already have Filip Hronek filling this role, as well as Zeev Buium and Tom Willander growing as defencemen. What they need is for Pettersson to develop into a physical, more defensive-minded blueliner who can win puck battles and lock down the Canucks zone.
Schenn is known as a physical shutdown defenceman, the same type of player that parts of Pettersson’s game are developing into. While Schenn is in the later stages of his career, playing with the veteran and learning from him off the ice could prove valuable for the player entering his third season as he looks to regain his footing at the NHL level.
From his first season in the NHL to his second, Pettersson saw a 2:10 increase in his TOI/GP, now averaging 14:59. He is two games shy of reaching 100 games in the NHL. It would be great to see him continue to play on the penalty kill and add another two minutes per game, averaging around 17.
Pettersson needs to keep developing his stamina and his game, earning the coaches’ trust to play more minutes and in high-leverage defensive situations. Another two-minute increase this season seems like a solid place to start, with the goal of taking another step the following season.
Exceeds expectations: Works himself into a top four pair
Right now, Pettersson is projected to be on the bottom pairing with Schenn; Buium and Hronek working the top pairing, and Oleksiak and Willander in the middle. Schenn is not expected to play every night, and the 22-year-old could spend time playing with Victor Mancini.
Depending on how well Pettersson’s 2026-27 campaign goes and how well Willander and Oleksiak play together, the junior Pettersson could bump Oleksiak down and break into the top four, on a pairing with his fellow Swede.
With Hronek and Buium as the top pair, it seems unlikely that’s a pairing Pettersson can break into – although he did play the majority of his minutes on the left side of Hronek. He also spent time on the left of Willander, with whom he played better. This would allow the Canucks to develop the two young players in an elevated role while letting the veterans take some of the more difficult matchups on the bottom pairing.
Below expectations: A repeat of last year
Sophomore slumps aren’t uncommon in the NHL; even Connor Bedard had one. But what’s imperative is that Pettersson has a better junior season and starts to regain the form he showed his rookie year.
The Canucks have taken steps this offseason to the point that there really is no reason the 22-year-old should have a repeat of last season. They brought in a coach known for developing his players, and he already did so with Pettersson during his time with the Abbotsford Canucks in the 2024-25 season. Schenn is also a player Pettersson can model his game after and learn from.
The Swede should start to regain his confidence, focusing on improving his defensive zone capabilities, physicality, and ability to play in the high-pressure situations the Canucks need most.
Overall, Pettersson is poised for a stronger 2026-27 showing, improving along with a team that should be improving all around. The Canucks need a gritty, physical presence, and that is what Pettersson can be for this team long-term, along with the ability to lock down the Canucks zone. Improving this season and taking advantage of Schenn’s presence is an important first step for the 22-year-old in his junior season.
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