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Why isn't Vancouver Canucks coach Foote playing Pettersson more?

Trevor Beggs
Trevor Beggs
|
Oct 22 2025, 5:33 pm
Why isn't Vancouver Canucks coach Foote playing Pettersson more?
Bob Frid/Imagn Images

There have been positives for the Vancouver Canucks on their season-opening road trip.

They found a way to win three straight games despite trailing in two of them. They held on for a big victory against the Washington Capitals even though they lost Filip Chytil and Jonathan Lekkerimäki to injuries in the first period. Thatcher Demko also looks like he’s returned to form.

Perhaps the most positive takeaway though, is that Elias Pettersson looks more like the star player that the Canucks need him to be.

So, why isn’t Adam Foote playing him more?

Against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, Pettersson finished the night with just 16:56 of ice time. That was fifth among Canucks forwards behind Kiefer Sherwood, Conor Garland, Evander Kane and Aatu Räty.

At five-on-five, Pettersson’s ice time (9:28) was second-lowest among all Canucks forwards. Only Jake DeBrusk played less.

It wasn’t like Pettersson played poorly either. Statistically, his line with Garland and DeBrusk was the Canucks’ best of the night.

The Canucks iced a roster last night that featured six players who were AHL regulars the previous season. And Pettersson still had some of the lowest minutes on the team.

Huh?

The 26-year-old started the game hot as well. During his first shift, Pettersson sent a nifty neutral zone pass to Conor Garland, who went streaking in for the Canucks’ first goal of the game.

It was also their only goal of the contest in a 5-1 loss to the Penguins.

The Pettersson ice time issue wasn’t unique to last night’s game either. Currently, Pettersson ranks seventh among Canucks forwards in five-on-five ice time per game.

Elias Pettersson 5-on-5 ice time

Elias Pettersson ranks seventh among Canucks forwards in five-on-five ice time. (Natural Stat Trick)

With the Canucks in the midst of a five-game road trip, Foote hasn’t been pressed on Pettersson’s usage.

So, that leaves us with theories.

Pettersson was largely deployed in the offensive zone against the Penguins, while the Sherwood, Räty, and Kane line matched up against Crosby. Perhaps Foote primarily wanted Pettersson to take offensive zone draws, which made sense considering their depleted lineup.

Even if that’s the case, find a way to get Pettersson and Garland more minutes.

During the Canucks three power plays against Pittsburgh, Pettersson didn’t leave the ice, and Foote seemed to give the Swedish centre longer breaks after the man advantage.

Still, that didn’t stop Foote from playing Quinn Hughes over 25 minutes against the Penguins. Why did it impact Pettersson’s ice time?

It’s also worth remembering that Foote is a first-time NHL head coach, without much experience in the role. Can we chalk this up to rookie mistakes?

Whatever the rationale is, Foote needs to find a way to play Pettersson more.

One of the biggest stories engulfing this Canucks team is whether or not Pettersson can bounce back. So, after he played three good games on this road trip, where he looked like he was starting to find his mojo, the coach decided to give a centre who hadn’t played for the Canucks in 3,000 days more minutes than his $11.6 million player.

With injuries to Chytil and Teddy Blueger, the Canucks centre are Pettersson, Räty, Sasson and LaBate.

Pettersson is the eighth-highest-paid player in the NHL. Not only is he supposed to be the number one centre on this team, but the pivots behind him on the depth chart have a combined 106 games of NHL experience.

There’s no excuse. The Canucks need to start giving Pettersson the ice time and opportunities that match his salary.

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