Player Discussion Elias Pettersson - A Forward Who Scores

[sandwichbird2023]

I don't think Petey has gotten enough credit for adapting and reinventing his game. Skating is such a foundational skill in hockey, it's like being able to stick handle or receive a pass, if you lose it, it's pretty much impossible to compensate. Every player are good skaters nowadays, if you can't skate you almost can't play. Hard to name many good players that are slow these days. Goes to show how truly elite Petey's IQ is on the ice.

 

[Breakers]

If you read my post I didn't say it was nothing mental. I just find the suggestion that he was simply "disinterested" for the latter half of last year, and nothing else, absurd.

Almost as absurd as claiming it is just an injury

What about when it came out he really had hurt his knee?

So the knee just healed instantly in one night and turned his season around at a home stand?

 

[Tinhorn1]

Almost as absurd as claiming it is just an injury

I see you've moved off your original point. That's good to see.

 

[racerjoe]

Almost as absurd as claiming it is just an injury


So the knee just healed instantly in one night and turned his season around at a home stand?

So it slowly got better… and even now there is lots of evidence to say it’s not 100%…

But even still it’s an injury, coming back ends up being at the very least partially mental as you test it out and learn to adapt.

 

[Ernie]

Yes, definitely. But he's also just not moving his feet and attacking like he used to, and Tochett has repeatedly referenced him not moving his feet. So its tough to say what the cause is for that. Is it an injury, or confidence/mental, or a combination? I don't think it could just be an injury because I'd still expect to see him attack with the puck more, even without great results.

If you ask me there were likely a confluence of factors including his injury, difficulty adapting to Tocchet's system, lack of quality line mates, poor puck support from the back end (he wasn't getting paired with Hughes/Hronek), and then obviously mentally it took a big toll on him. Tocchet is right that the way to solve these things is to just keep moving. Hopefully he's learned something from this experience.

 

[mriswith]

I don’t think he’s healed, he’s learning a different way to be productive. Not a lot of players are able to switch to a different type of play style, let alone do it mid season.

This is what I think as well, and not just the skating. I haven't seen anyone else talking about it so I might be completely alone on an island here but I also think his wrist is at least partially permanently wrecked.

 

[arttk]

This is what I think as well, and not just the skating. I haven't seen anyone else talking about it so I might be completely alone on an island here but I also think his wrist is at least partially permanently wrecked.

I don’t know about the wrist, I think the way he shoots right now is kinda weird. It’s like all upper body and it’s like he’s whipping the puck if that makes sense. Looking at the old highlights, he used to really lean in on his shots and I am guessing until his knee gets better we won’t see that. If his speed comes back and we still don’t see him lean into his shots then yeah maybe his wrist is no good.

 

[Breakers]

So it slowly got better… and even now there is lots of evidence to say it’s not 100%…

But even still it’s an injury, coming back ends up being at the very least partially mental as you test it out and learn to adapt.

Nah
He was just disinterested and lacking motivation

 

[racerjoe]

Nah
He was just disinterested and lacking motivation

Is miller the same?

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Is miller the same?

No, Miller is a real man for admit that he needs a break

 

[Quinning]

He's still elite defensively and is an above average playmaker, but his speed is mostly gone and his shot is almost completely gone.

 

[beachcomber]

He's still elite defensively and is an above average playmaker, but his speed is mostly gone and his shot is almost completely gone.

Which would be fine if he was making 7 million a year.

 

[DiggerDan]

I don't think Petey has gotten enough credit for adapting and reinventing his game. Skating is such a foundational skill in hockey, it's like being able to stick handle or receive a pass, if you lose it, it's pretty much impossible to compensate. Every player are good skaters nowadays, if you can't skate you almost can't play. Hard to name many good players that are slow these days. Goes to show how truly elite Petey's IQ is on the ice.

I completely agree with this. His fundamentals have absolutely improved, including significant strides made defensively which to your point is a symptom of his high IQ. The expectation that his career will be perfectly linear is not likely (like most) - he is compensating well and I'm still confident he'll be even better for it.

 

[Another Empty Netter]

 

[PuckMunchkin]

So he just suddenly healed to start a home stand.

He played that Saturday night game where they blew the lead and Friedman and bieksa said at the end that was a weird game from Pettersson as you forgot Pettersson was playing then he took over the final 3 minutes of the game and set up the winning goal

But yeah, it’s just an injury and nothing mental ohhhhhk

Nobody has said its nothing mental.

Its just a couple of posters who insisted he was healthy last year now making them selves look rather........

Almost as absurd as claiming it is just an injury


So the knee just healed instantly in one night and turned his season around at a home stand?

No. He adjusted his play.

Whats so hard to understand there?

He was a 95th % skater by NHL Edge before the injury that you say doesnt exist and has since been a below 50 percentile skater.

All because he "lost interest." And he is still below 50th despite now you thinking he gained his interest... well lets hope he gains his interest in skating faster too...

 

[Breakers]

NHL edge
Damn those “bursts” prevented him from completing a simple saucer pass while on the PP.

And he healed overnight at the start of a home stand. Surprised the training staff didn’t apply that special medicine earlier if it worked that quick.