In this edition of the Vancouver Canucks News & Rumors, Elias Pettersson comments on his contract extension. Meanwhile, 2022 first-round Jonathan Lekkerimaki is off to a good start in his first Swedish Hockey League (SHL) preseason with Orebro.
Pettersson Patient on Extension
Pettersson told Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that he isn’t in a rush to sign an extension with the Canucks. The Swedish forward has one more year left on his three-year, $22.050 million contract and will be a restricted free agent. He said he doesn’t want to rush into a new deal, as he doesn’t know if it will be a long or short-term deal. Pettersson added this next contract will be the biggest one he has signed so far in his career. He said he is focusing on preparing for a good start with the team for next season by training and putting on some muscle.
Pettersson is due for a big contract after posting a career-high 39 goals and 102 points in 80 games. He emerged as one of the league’s top two-way forwards in 2022-23. On the 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, Friedman doesn’t believe there is a reason to panic for Canucks fans and mentioned Pettersson isn’t closing the door on Vancouver and is confident in what the team has but wants to see the results. If the club takes a step in the right direction next season, the forward will likely re-sign to a long-term contract. However, another disastrous season in Vancouver could affect the length of his next contract or be the end of his time in the city.
He added Pettersson is doing his part by putting in the work in the offseason and believes the forward is aware of his impressive shot and wants to score more goals, joining the likes of Conor McDavid and other elite players in scoring 50+ goals. Pettersson could increase his value in the 2023-24 season with another career year and ask for a cap hit north of $11 million.
As for the Canucks, Friedman said he believes the organization is ready to extend Pettersson. Keeping the star forward seems like a no-brainer for the team. The ball is in Pettersson’s court, as the Canucks have attempted to improve their roster with the changes to their blue line and the addition of a third-line centre in Pius Suter.
Friedman finished by talking about J.T. Miller’s comments on the struggles of the previous two seasons and how the presence of Rick Tocchet calmed the team down at the end of the season. He said Pettersson liked the way the 2023-24 season ended and believes the head coach pushed them in the right direction.
Lekkerimaki Hot Start in SHL Preseason
Canucks 2022 first-round draft pick Lekkerimaki is off to a hot start in the SHL preseason with Orebro. He scored his second goal in the SHL preseason on Wednesday. Last season, his regular season was affected by injuries, which led to him posting three goals and nine points in 29 games with Djurgardens IF in Allsvenskan. However, he bounced back in the postseason, scoring five goals and posting 15 points in 15 games before his club lost in the playoff finals.
His playoff success seems to have carried on to the 2023-24 preseason, as he is playing with confidence. Lekkerimaki’s start is big for the Canucks, as their prospect pool is disappointing, and the forward is one of their top three players in the pipeline. Lekkerimaki could carry his preseason play into the 2023-24 season for an impressive rookie season in the SHL.
Renovations at Rogers Arena
Canucks Sports and Entertainment announced a package of building improvements at Rogers Arena. The organization said the renovations are in Phase II, highlighted by the addition of a new video board. Phase I started last year and included renovations to the team’s dressing room, exercise facilities, coaches’ offices, and multi-purpose media room.
“Fans can look forward to a new video board that is almost four times larger (1300 SF per side vs 350 SF) than the previous screen. A high refresh rate of 3840Hz (3,840 times per second) and stronger contrast ratio will also result in a clearer image and more vibrant colours. Lastly, the video board is engineered with a modern seamless curve, allowing viewing angles from all areas in the arena.”
The organization also announced an exclusive 60-person event-level club and restaurant, which is under construction between the home and visiting dressing rooms at ice level. Phase III will start next summer and include the replacement of all seats in the upper and lower bowl and the redesign of the North Plaza entry.
Rogers Arena is the sixth oldest rink in the NHL and is due for a lot of changes. The Canucks moved to Rogers Arena from the Pacific Coliseum in 1995 and are closing in on 30 years at the rink.
More must-reads: