We are seven games into the Abbotsford Canucks’ season, and we are seeing a 20-year-old defenceman start to make a good impression with his coaching staff from his ability to be a two-way defenceman at five-on-five and a heavily relied upon penalty killer.

Elias Pettersson has just started his first full AHL season and is picking up valuable experience after three successful years playing pro hockey in Sweden as a teenager.

Abbotsford Head Coach Manny Malhotra says Pettersson has quickly found his confidence, noting that the young blue liner understands who he is as a player and knows what he needs to work on to be a successful player in the AHL, and similarly, to hopefully make the jump to the NHL.

His reliability on the back end has gained him the trust of his teammates and coaching staff through his sharp decision-making and situational awareness.

“He makes the right reads, he’s confident and quick to get to places that he needs to be, which is the first thing I see. The second is his play with the puck. Again, he gets to places quickly, knows where his options are, and doesn’t overcomplicate things for himself,” Malhotra said.

Pettersson credits some of that confidence to playing in the Swedish Hockey League with Örebro HK at 17 years old. The SHL is one of the top-five professional hockey leagues in the world, and the average age hovers around 26.

Figuring out how to play against seasoned veterans prepared him for the physical and mental demands of the professional game in North America.

“It’s pretty hard for a young guy to come up in the SHL, but I also think it’s really good,” Pettersson said. “It helped me to play against men at a young age. I think I’ve taken a lot of experience from Sweden to here, and I think I’m learning every day and gaining more confidence every day.”

He is continuing to learn a lot just by being around pros every day and seeing how they handle different situations at and away from the rink.

As he continues to put in the work, gain experience, and build his confidence, that will continue to grow and will translate as he gets older, stronger, faster, and even more experienced.

“I think, like most things in life, when you do them with confidence you do them better – you learn quicker,” Malhotra said. “The fact that he’s showing that level of confidence now is a very promising trait for him.”

It seems as though D-Petey gains confidence with every shift he takes at the AHL level.

Nothing spectacular here but he looks like a much more confident player than we saw last year.

(#25 in green) pic.twitter.com/QXGJlGgXZC

— Faber (@ChrisFaber39) October 19, 2024

An off-ice aspect that Malhotra is pleased to see from the young defenceman is how Pettersson has been developing relationships with his teammates. Sometimes younger players tend to hang back, but D-Petey gets right in the mix and wants to get to know everyone, which in turn, helps the chemistry on the ice.

“What I love about him is that he’s integrated himself in the locker room. He’s not shy by any means, he’s talkative when you get him engaged,” Malhotra said. “That’s a big part of acclimating to the game over here is just being comfortable in your skin, being comfortable in the locker room, and just getting to know the guys.”

Canucks’ defenceman, Mark Friedman has been paired with Pettersson in four games with Abbotsford, and has been having fun playing alongside the Swede. They’re still learning each other’s tendencies, but Friedman says Pettersson is a good communicator, and he can see the confidence in his partner’s game.

“He likes to hold on to pucks, likes to make plays. He’s not your typical bigger defenceman, he likes to get in on the rush and likes to make plays from up top at the blue line. He is a good first-pass guy, and just a very steady defenceman,” Friedman said.

Friedman holds seven years of experience between the NHL and AHL and is there to support Pettersson in his first year of North American hockey, and they’ll continue to build chemistry as the season goes along.

“It’s not going to be an overnight thing. We’re going to have to work at it for a little bit, and I think we’d be a pretty good pair,” Friedman said.

Pettersson has an appetite for learning, and he’s picked up a lot from Malhotra, and assistant coaches Harry Mahesh, and Jordan Smith since he’s arrived in Vancouver. D-Petey works at getting better every day and part of his work is the mental side of the game.

He has high expectations for himself, and he feels he’s at his best when he plays with an edge – smart and aggressive.

“I play with a lot of emotion out there and I need to find a balance to not get too much emotions. Smitty [Jordan Smith] has been on me a little bit on that too. He helped me with it when I’m too aggressive and trying to find that balance.”

The coaching staff prioritizes keeping the lines of communication open, ensuring the players feel supported and have the tools they need to develop. This approach includes daily conversations, reviewing game footage, and addressing individual needs, all aimed at building a players’ confidence and understanding of the game. For young players stepping into the AHL there is a learning curve, but with the right guidance, they can quickly adapt to the league’s demands.

“Jordan Smith’s been amazing in that regard, talking to all the D-men, showing them clips, making sure they continue to learn and Petey is no different. He’s been good in that regard, wanting the information and being very receptive to it,” Malhotra said.

As Pettersson’s season is underway, his combination of confidence, steady play and hunger to improve has him on a promising path. He’s putting in the daily work to refine his game, showing he’s prepared for the challenges ahead.

He’s got the potential to not only be a reliable presence on the blue line for the Abbotsford Canucks, but to one day hopefully make his mark in the NHL.