Elias Pettersson’s teammates absolutely loved Canucks rookie’s first NHL fight
Vancouver Canucks rookie Elias Pettersson continues to impress.
The 21-year-old defenceman has made the NHL ahead of schedule and has appeared in 25 games so far this year. He recently scored his first goal and checked off another major milestone with his first fight Thursday night.
Pettersson knocked Colorado Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor to the ice, which started a scrum between the two players. The 6-foot-2 blueliner quickly dropped his gloves and started throwing haymakers.
Pettersson connected on a few big punches before the two players got tangled up and hit the ice. You could never tell it was the Canucks rookie’s first fight just by watching as he was throwing huge punches.
Logan O'Connor and Elias Pettersson have a go at it. 👀 pic.twitter.com/tfIJMzjecU
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 11, 2025
When Pettersson skated out of the box five minutes later, his Vancouver teammates slammed the boards with their sticks as a show of appreciation. It wasn’t only his first NHL fight, it was the first of his entire hockey career per Sportsnet’s Dan Murphy.
Canucks bench gives the round of applause for Indy's first fight (I can't get on board calling Elias Pettersson 'Junior') pic.twitter.com/Zhes2nTVEw
— Wyatt Arndt (@TheStanchion) April 11, 2025
“He’s been looking for it for a little bit, we kind of talked about it last night a little bit actually,” Kiefer Sherwood said post-game.
“I thought he looked like Mike Tyson, just throwing them, taking them, and throwing them more. I’m sure he’s going to have to brush up on some technique but it’s great. He plays a hard game, and it’s probably the first of many because he’s going to get under his guys’ skin with his physicality.”
“Handled himself very well. When a guy can do that every once in a while, people will keep their heads up. He’s a big man,” said head coach Rick Tocchet postgame. “Really impressed with that.”
The Canucks clearly think highly of Pettersson. He was not papered down to Abbotsford before the deadline, which would have made him eligible for the AHL Playoffs. Vancouver doesn’t seem to view him as a prospect anymore and instead as a legit young NHLer.
There are just four defencemen from the 2022 NHL draft taken after the first round who have already played 20 games. Montreal Canadiens superstar Lane Hutson, Isaiah George from the New York Islanders, the Canucks Victor Mancini, and Pettersson.
The Canucks have done a very good job of rebuilding their defence group, and it’s players like Pettersson and Mancini, along with top prospect Tom Willander, who are providing hope for tomorrow.