If anyone understands Elias Pettersson well, it’s Bruce Boudreau, who coached him for parts of two seasons before being succeeded by current coach Rick Tocchet. Recently, Boudreau spoke with Geno Reda on TSN’s That’s Hockey about Pettersson’s early struggles in the 2024-25 season, during which he has only two assists and eight shots on goal in five games.
“I may not be in Vancouver anymore, but every time I watch him, he doesn’t seem happy or confident. He wants to excel, and when things aren’t going well, he tends to get down on himself, which is a problem,” Boudreau noted. He added, “Last year, he played with Mikheyev and Kuzmenko, who were both having tough seasons, so it wasn’t entirely his fault. This year, he came out strong; I know he trained hard in Sweden over the summer. I’m not sure if his unhappiness is an issue, but every player responds differently. It’s up to the coach to provide encouragement or tough love, and Rick seems to be giving him both, as Pettersson is logging nearly 21 minutes of ice time each night. However, despite the ice time, he hasn’t been producing, and his body language on the ice isn’t great. He’s one of those players that needs support, reassurance that he’s capable of being the best, and opportunities to shine. That may not be happening right now in Vancouver.” It remains to be seen how Elias Pettersson will respond and whether he can regain his elite form.
There’s no doubt he is one of the NHL’s top talents, and everyone faces challenges, but Pettersson must find a way to score. Eight shots on goal in five games is concerning, especially given his role on the top line and first power play unit.
Hopefully, he can turn things around starting tomorrow in the final game of the team’s road trip in Chicago against North Vancouver native Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks.
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