Welcome back to WWYDW, the only hockey column on the internet dedicated to constant progress.

Speaking of progress, by the time you read these words, the Vancouver Canucks should have played their eighth game of the 2026-27 season, which marks roughly the 10% mark on the year. It’s safe to say that, with the Canucks having already plummeted to near the bottom of the standings, the campaign has played out mostly to expectations thus far. And yet, within that general picture, there’s still been plenty of individuals and events that have proven at least mildly surprising.

Today, we’re here to catalogue some of that surprise.

Everyone came into this season with a large set of expectations. Through those eight games, we’re wondering what has least met with those expectations. Whether that’s been a good surprise or a bad surprise, whether it’s about one specific player or the team as a whole, whether it’s a big thing or a small nuance.

We want to hear what’s caught you off-guard.

Today, we’re asking:

Let it be known in the comment section.

You answered below!

Hoping enough of a bounce that he will be worth something okay in a trade.

Too small a sample size. Clearly no pressure to perform and he seems to be enjoying that, but lets wait to see when losses pile up.

This question could also ask if Cotter will break 80 goals or if Höglander will be the worst ever trade surpassing Neely. …Sample size means everything.

I’ll go with 66 big points.

Pettersson is playing with more passion this year. He looks like he is enjoying playing. He’s not a big guy but still not afraid to play physical. As far as how many points will he get, that will depend upon who he plays with and how well the power play goes. Pettersson is a pretty smart player, and if he’s paired with a guy who has some speed, he’ll get some points from playing the PK.

I remember when the Sedin twins were falling around all over the place (although it was earlier in their careers). We were all over them, to the point of people calling them “sisters,” which is quite the insult. Imagine that today?

I think he realized he needed to get tougher to play in the playoffs. Also, bullying someone into becoming tougher never solves the problem either. I’m thankful the new leadership is giving him a fresh start.

I think he goes a point per game this year. So yes, bounce back in the right direction. His hit totals need to come down though, he can’t sustain that and its not really his role necessarily.

nickmac89:
He’s looked much better. I love that he’s been so physical; who would have thought! I don’t think he needs to be 100+ point #1 centreman anymore, but if he can be an engaged PPG player, I’d be very happy and would consider that bouncing back.

I’m just happy to see Pettersson raising his awareness and engagement level, on and off the ice, while bringing his skill back into his game. It’s a short sample, but he looks like he could become an even better player than he was before. It’s been a tough process to watch, but if this is any indication of the player he’s becoming, I’m here for it.

I’m not sold on a bounce back at this juncture. As Roger Daltrey once sang, won’t be fooled again.

This sounds negative, but I am truly hopeful that this player returns to give good value back to this team and can be a role model of sorts for the younger players but to be convinced, I will need a large sample size. A couple games at the start of the season is not statistically relevant to make a reasonable conclusion.

There have also been a few things to note for the keen observers. We are impressed to see point totals going up, some good corsi games and some great hit totals, but there are areas that will need to improve for EP40 to “be back.” The first being that he does often noticeably give up on puck battles. Also, 5-on-5 seems to still be more opportunistic as opposed to making things happen. These are two examples that I think he can improve on and will need to do so to be an actual game-changer instead of just a statistical darling.

All the cliches like “too early to tell,” “small sample size,” “is it sustainable,” all apply to a very significant extent.

Having said that, people close to the team, players, coaches, FO seem to all say EP40 is having fun and enjoying playing now. That is big.

I think the youth movement, players like Buium, Willander, D-Petty, Öhgren, Lekkerimäki, and perhaps even Cootes and the prospects at camp, have given a sense of optimism and a view of a path forward out of the mess this team was in 8-10 months ago. That has to affect players like EP40.

Perhaps, and some may disagree, but maybe the approach by RJ in particular and Malhotra and also players when talking about EP40 publicly has made a big impact. Gone are the negative innuendos verging on berating, now replaced by positive and supportive ones. Not picking sides on what approach is right or wrong but clearly the old methods of Rutherford/Allvin/Tocchet and others didn’t work. The new approach by RJ, the Sedins, and Malhotra may be a part of what’s working now. Its a newer version of pro sports to what it was 15 years ago and what I grew up playing, but perhaps with EP40 it just needed a newer approach to help things along.

I think his 102-point season and last year’s 51-point season were drastic anomalies from the mean in both directions. More likely he’s somewhere in the middle short-term and long-term

So yes, that would be considered a bounce back.

Yes, Pettersson is playing much better than the last two. I suppose that can be called a bounce back.

It has always seemed to me a large part of Pettersson’s issues were health related. He looks healthier, but his speed and elusiveness aren’t near where they once were. May never be.

Pettersson is very talented and he is playing the right way. He won’t have the line mates to push his point totals really high. 75 sounds like an upper limit.

I think with positive support, EP40 will prove to be our best all-around player. I think they made a mistake when they mocked and derided him because he didn’t want to be captain. They probably thought it would force him to grow but that’s not his style and never will be. Now, he feels empowered to play the game he loves, the best he can. Right now, I would call him our most complete player. That’s what a point-a-game player, who plays with a physical side, and is great in the defensive zone is. A complete player.

I believe Elias Pettersson will do better than the last two season but not by much.

Pettersson is playing better, but he has also being playing with better players.

Don’t forget DeBrusk has been sick for 2 of the 4 games and Evander Kane is no longer on the first line.

Last year, Pettersson would setup DeBrusk or Kane with a great play only to have one of those two players flub the puck and either hit the goalie square in the chest, miss the net, or even miss hitting the puck.

Plus, Pettersson was playing under Adam Foote’s system last year which we can all agree was a disaster for everyone.

Pettersson is more engaged this year. He is hitting more than ever. He is shooting the puck more and with force, and he is making some great passes. He still falls down a lot, but I’m not questioning his effort so far.

Hopefully, his injury problems are behind him and he plays with players who are finishers. It remains to be seen if he can keep up this pace. Those hits will be hard on his body, too.

He definitely looks more engaged this season, and I could see him pacing for 65-70 points in the first half. But by the second half, the game gets much tighter, his usual inconsistency will likely creep back in, and we’ll probably trade off some UFAs, it probably affects the 5v5 production. That will drop him back down to a 40-point pace, leaving him around 55 points by the end of the year.

After two-plus seasons on milk cartons, it’s too soon to tell. Most likely it’s one of them dead cat bounces.

Well right now he is at 1.5 PPG (point per game) which is obviously not sustainable. I would say if he can get back to PPG (which is about his career average) that would be a big win. That would have put him around 35-40th in league scoring last year.

Will it happen? I’d put it at maybe 40% probability, depending on whether injuries become a factor.

During his peak years, I remember Shorty saying often that EP plays better when he engages physically. He has been doing that.

With the change in management, coaching, and locker room, I think he is back, but not to 100 points with his linemates. He is more likely 75-85 pts.

With all the chatter about EP, I think we can all relate to going to work in an environment that is terrible. Sucks the life out of you.

With these Canucks, I think he gets 75 points this season. I see comments that his wingers are better this year. That’s not wrong, but the wingers are still not top-six wingers (perhaps with the exception of Boeser). DeBrusk looked lost 5V5 last year and hasn’t really changed this year. If he had Kuzmenko (still debatable if he’s a top-six winger), I think Pettersson could get 80+ points. It’s really a shame that JT Miller and Tyler Toffoli are the only legit top-six wingers he has played with in Vancouver.

Petey’s doing a ton of awesome stuff right now. Hits, blocks, PKing, assists, and goals. He is leading by example, no doubt. He is playing like he is our best player, so that is ‘all the good stuff’.

The main thing I am wanting to see is shots on goal. I want to see 210 shots out of him, minimum (2.5 per). If he is still playing like he is now, and has 50 SOG at the 20-game mark, then I will say he’s back, no matter the counting stats. Right now he is pacing for just 147 and is on a similar bad pace as his last two years at less than two shots per game. His best season (‘22/23) he was just over three shots per game (257 SOG).

Also consider, while the eye test is a pass right now, his advance stats are way under water; CF%=32, RELCF% is -14.3%. He is getting caved in possession and shot share. He is lucky to be a plus player right now.

Under no circumstance am I prepared to say he is back.

He gets 88.

If he keeps trying to lead the league in hits, I can see him missing a significant amount of time this season, so no real progress.

If he limits his hits to ones like the one that lead to the goal, he may play most of the season and get back to plus 70 points this season.

If he can get to three shots on net per game then he is rebounding.

Also improves not playing with DeBrusk or Kane.

To be fair, Petey now has his fifth coach, having his most productive season under Boudreau, notoriously known for what the internet says: “He gives players the creative freedom to make plays in the offensive zone and trusts skilled players to use their talent rather than locking them into a rigid, defensive system.” Something none of the others would even consider, yet he’s still very close to a PPG player entering his ninth season… He’ll be fine.

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