What analytics say about Pettersson's resurgence with Vancouver Canucks
Do you believe in aliens?
Well, if your belief in the extraterrestrial wavered, perhaps you’ve reconsidered.
Once upon a time, Elias Pettersson arrived in Vancouver having already been branded with the nickname “Alien” for his otherworldly on-ice play.
Through five seasons, he didn’t disappoint. Then, all of a sudden, it appeared as though the alien was abducted and replaced by a mere Earthling.
Well, after 2.5 seasons of struggles, there are signs of the alien returning.
I mean, how many human NHL players can pull this off?
This is the coolest thing Pettersson has done in years. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/8smt5Aoqpt
— Daniel Wagner (@passittobulis) October 30, 2026
Pettersson has enjoyed a solid start to the season, highlighted by bone-crushing hits and 16 points in 15 games.
But the $92.8 million question is, has Pettersson actually returned to form?
There are reasons to believe so, but there are also some cautionary signs.
Pettersson’s return to form
There are two things that every pundit points to when assessing whether Pettersson is back to his old self.
Is his speed back? Is his shot back?
Let’s start with the skating.
In terms of 20+ mile-per-hour bursts, Pettersson isn’t back to his old self. He is in the upper echelon of the league, ranking in the 64th percentile among players cresting the 20-mile-per-hour mark.
But there’s one stat showcasing something Pettersson wasn’t doing enough of over the past two seasons: he’s moving his feet.
And hey, in hockey, good things happen when you move your feet.
Pettersson has skated 3.92 miles per game this season, which is in the 96th percentile among NHLers.
All top players in the league are in the 80th percentile and above, solely based on the fact that they average more minutes played.
But when Pettersson was at his best in 2022-23 and 2023-24, he was in the 90th percentile. That dipped in recent seasons.
His current skating prowess matches up with what we’re seeing on the ice. Even though he’s no longer one of the fastest straight-line NHL players, he’s using his skating to create more space than he has in recent seasons.
So the skating is back to an extent, but what about the shot?
Well, early in the 2026-27 campaign, we’ve seen Pettersson grip it and rip it like the old days.
TEE IT UP PETEY ON THE POWER PLAY! š pic.twitter.com/NcWkAfEbv2
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 2, 2026
Pettersson had just four power-play goals all last season. He already has four this year.
And yes, a couple of those even came on the road, something he hadn’t done since midway through the 2023-24 campaign.
His shot decisiveness was utterly lacking in recent seasons, and its return is as welcome as a midsummer sunset in English Bay.
We’re seeing a more confident Pettersson in the offensive zone, and he’s continued to grow in some defensive aspects of his game too.
Drew O’Connor and Pettersson have become the No. 1 penalty-killing duo for the Canucks. While most Canucks penalty killers have been hemmed in their own end, Pettersson ranks 11th among regular penalty-killing forwards in terms of shot attempts against per 60 at four-on-five.
On Thursday night against Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks, Vancouver didn’t allow a single shot attempt against in Pettersson’s 4:31 of four-on-five ice time.
All of this has helped Pettersson return to form as one of the best players in the NHL. His goals above replacement, a metric that takes into account offence, defence, special teams play, and quality of competition, currently ranks 28th in the NHL this season, ahead of players like Mark Stone, Tage Thompson, William Nylander, and Matt Boldy.
Cautionary signs
Bob Kupbens/Imagn Images
There are reasons to hold back before betting your mortgage on Pettersson’s stock, however.
The Canucks are getting caved in possession, and it’s slightly worse with Pettersson on the ice. Vancouver has controlled 39.6 per cent of shot attempts at five-on-five with Pettersson on the ice, compared to 43.6 per cent overall when he’s on the bench.
And although he’s skating more, his speed still isn’t at the level it was in 2022-23.
The biggest cautionary sign in his game right now is both Pettersson and the Canucks’ lack of shots with him on the ice.
Pettersson is firing a career-low 3.71 shots on net per 60 at five-on-five. In non-decimal terms, he’s registered 12 shots on net at five-on-five in 15 games. Perhaps it’s not a surprise he hasn’t scored at even strength yet.
But the Canucks are scoring with him on the ice, and doing so at an unsustainable clip. The Canucks have a 17.3 on-ice shooting percentage at five-on-five with Pettersson, leading to a PDO of 104.8.
PDO, a combination of on-ice shooting and save percentage, is typically around 100. Anything far above that suggests regression is coming.
Last season, only seven NHL players had an on-ice shooting percentage above 14 per cent. If the Canucks want Pettersson to maintain his solid start, they’ll need less shooting luck and more chance creation.
On the power play, while Pettersson has registered four power play goals, he’s done so on just seven shots.
While all of this suggests an element of luck helping Pettersson’s start, there’s nothing lucky about shooting with confidence, making plays in tight spaces, and skating more than any other player in the NHL.
All of that should have Canucks fans believing, once again, that aliens are real.