STOCKHOLM — Elias Pettersson is on a mission this season.

“I know what I’m capable of,” the Vancouver Canucks forward said Wednesday at Sweden’s orientation camp for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. “Actually, I haven’t thought about it, but for myself it’s revenge. I’m not happy with last season.”

The 26-year-old forward had 45 points (15 goals, 30 assists) in 64 games, just about half of the 89 points (34 goals, 55 assists) he had in 2023-24, and well below the NHL career-high of 102 points (39 goals, 63 assists) he had in 2022-23.

But for Pettersson, that’s all in the past and he’s working on his body to make sure it doesn’t continue.

“I’ve put on some [muscle],” Pettersson (6-foot-2, 176 pounds) said. “It’s always about building your base strength, to get quicker on the ice. To gain a few pounds, get stronger in general, that’s always the goal. But for me it’s a bonus to gain a few pounds.”

Last season wasn’t what he or the Canucks envisioned. In addition to the drop in his numbers, the Canucks went 38-30-14 and missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs, finishing six points behind the St. Louis Blues for the second wild card in the Western Conference.

In 2023-24, the Canucks won the Pacific Division and reached the second round of the postseason for the first time since 2020.

When the Canucks held their exit interviews in April, Pettersson said he had an important offseason ahead. General manager Patrik Allvin and president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford each agreed.



And based on some obvious physical changes, it looks like the work has been going well so far.


“I’ve been healthy and have been able to practice at full speed,” Pettersson said. “Right now I don’t have any injuries that kept me off workouts. But obviously last season was tough. With that said, the lessons are learned. I’m just really hungry to have a good season.”

Pettersson signed an eight-year, $92.8 million contract ($11.6 million average annual value) with the Canucks on March 2, 2024. That raised expectations, ones he didn’t live up to. Some of that was because of offseason knee tendinitis that limited his training and carried over into last season. He also missed the final 12 games of the season because of an oblique injury.

“I’m learning from what happened last year to be a more mature player going into [this season],” Pettersson said.

Entering his eighth season with the Canucks, Pettersson is one of Vancouver’s more experienced players. He also knows that he is a leader figure for some of the younger players on the team, especially fellow Sweden-born players like forwards Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Linus Karlsson, and defenseman Elias Pettersson.

“It’s great to see,” he said. “You think back on your own journey, when I came into the League and tried to make it. All of them are good players. All of them have good skills. I’m just trying to be a good teammate and help out with what I can help them with.



“I’m trying to lead by example. But I know that I can become a better leader, in that aspect. I’m trying my best, but also trying to get better.”

In trying to get better, the Canucks acquired forward Evander Kane in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers for a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft on June 25.



“I was very happy when I saw that trade,” Pettersson said. “It’s a player that we need, a player who plays with grit and still can score goals.”

He was also happy when he saw forward Brock Boeser sign a seven-year, $50.75 million contract ($7.25 million AAV) on July 1.



“He has been there during all the years I’ve been there and it’s really fun that he signed,” Pettersson said. “Fun and important that we could keep almost all our players because I feel we have something good.”