Elias Pettersson is a Swedish professional ice hockey player who plays as a centre and alternate captain for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL).
He was selected fifth overall by the Canucks in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s best rookie in 2019.
He is known for his exceptional skill, creativity, vision on the ice and charismatic personality off the ice.
File
- Full name: Elias Fredrik Pettersson
- Nickname: Petey, The Alien
- Date of birth: November 12, 1998
- Age: 25 years old
- Gender: Male
- Place of birth: Sundsvall, Sweden
- Nationality: Swedish
- Occupation: Ice hockey player
- Height: 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
- Weight: 176 lb (80 kg)
- Parents: Torbjörn Pettersson and Irene Jonsson
- Siblings: Emil Pettersson (brother)
- Spouse: None
- Children: None
- Relationship Status: Dating
- Net worth: $5 million
Early life and education
Elias Pettersson, aged 25, was born on 12 November 1998 in Sundsvall, Sweden, to Torbjörn Pettersson and Irene Jonsson.
He has an older brother, Emil, who is a professional ice hockey player. Pettersson is of Finnish descent through his grandfather, who was sent to Sweden in 1941 as a Finnish war child.
Pettersson grew up in Ånge, a small town in central Sweden, where he started playing hockey at the age of three. He and his brother played for the youth team of Ånge IK, where their father was a Zamboni driver at the local skating rink.
Pettersson had many opportunities to play on the ice as a youngster, which helped him develop his skills and passion for the game. He also played soccer but stopped playing hockey at the age of 13 to focus on hockey.
In 2011, when Pettersson was 13, he discovered that his two best friends, Valerik and Davit Danielyan, had been deported from Sweden to Armenia.
Along with several friends, Pettersson was interviewed by a local newspaper and television station in support of Danielyan’s family.
The Danielyan family was allowed to return to Sweden in 2012, after about 80 days in Armenia. Pettersson discussed the events in interviews in 2019 and 2020, saying they had a huge impact on his life and outlook.
In the 2013–2014 season, while in 8th grade, Pettersson started playing for the U15 team of nearby Timrå IK as Ånge did not have a youth team.
During his first two seasons with Timrå, Pettersson lived in Ånge, commuting around 100 kilometres (62 miles) to training three times a week.
Pettersson eventually moved to Tallnäs, closer to Timrå. He attended Tallnäs Gymnasium, a sports-focused high school, from which he graduated in 2017.
Personal life
Elias Pettersson is dating his high school sweetheart, whose name he has not publicly revealed.
They dated since they were teenagers and maintained a long-distance relationship while Pettersson played in North America.
Pettersson said his girlfriend is very supportive and understanding of his career and lifestyle. They often visit each other during the off-season and on holidays.
Pettersson is very close to his family, especially his brother Emil, who is his role model and mentor. They often train together and exchange advice and feedback.
Pettersson has said that his brother is his best friend and has a close bond with him. Pettersson also has a good relationship with his parents, who have always encouraged and supported him in his hockey dreams.
Pettersson is a fan of music, movies, and video games. He enjoys listening to rap, hip-hop, and pop music, and some of his favorite artists include Drake, Post Malone, and Ed Sheeran.
He enjoys watching comedies, action and horror movies, and some of his favorite movies are The Hangover, The Dark Knight and Inception.
He enjoys playing video games like FIFA, NHL, and Call of Duty and often streams on Twitch, where he interacts with fans and other gamers.
Pettersson is also active on social media with over 200,000 followers on Instagram and over 50,000 followers on Twitter.
He enjoys sharing posts about his professional and personal life, as well as his hobbies and interests. He also interacts with fans and followers, answering questions and comments, posting stories and videos.
Career
Elias Pettersson began his professional hockey career in 2015 when he made his debut with Timrå IK of HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-highest professional league. His debut was delayed by a knee injury, but he quickly established himself as a key player for the team.
He scored 14 points in 25 games in his rookie season and 41 points in 43 games in his sophomore season, helping Timrå reach the promotion playoffs.
In 2017, Pettersson was selected fifth overall in the NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks, becoming the highest-picked Swedish-born player since Victor Hedman in 2009.
He decided to stay in Sweden for one more season and then moved to the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), the country’s top league.
He joined the Växjö Lakers, where he had a phenomenal season, scoring 56 points in 44 games, breaking the SHL record for most points by a junior player.
He also led the league in goals, winning the Guldhjälmen (Golden Helmet) award for most valuable player.
He helped the Lakers win the Le Mat Trophy as league champions, scored 19 points in 13 playoff games, and won the Stefan Liv Memorial Trophy as MVP.
In 2018, Pettersson was named to the Canucks’ starting roster for the 2018–19 season and he immediately made his mark in the NHL.
He scored his first goal on his first shot in his first game and 10 goals in his first 10 games, tying the NHL record for most goals by a rookie in that span.
He finished the season with 66 points in 71 games, leading all rookies in goals, assists and points. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s best rookie, becoming the second Canuck to do so since Pavel Bure in 1992.
In 2019, Pettersson continued to improve and impress in his second NHL season. He scored 66 points in 68 games, leading the Canucks in scoring for the second year in a row. He also appeared in his first NHL All-Star Game, representing the Pacific Division.
He helped the Canucks qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2015 and scored 18 points in 17 games, leading the team in points during the playoffs.
He helped the Canucks reach the second round, where they lost in seven games to the Vegas Golden Knights.
In 2020, Pettersson signed a three-year, $22.05 million contract extension with the Canucks, securing his future with the team.
He had a slow start to the 2020–21 season, scoring just three points in his first six games, but he soon regained his form and confidence.
He scored 21 points in 26 games, ranking second on the team in scoring, before suffering a wrist injury that ended his season on March 2, 2021. He missed the remainder of the season, which was shortened and disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, Pettersson returned to the Canucks lineup for the 2021–22 season, hoping to recover from injury and help the team return to the playoffs.
He scored his first goal of the season on October 23, 2021, against the Seattle Kraken, the NHL’s newest expansion team. He has four points in eight games so far, as the Canucks have a 3-5-0 record.
Net worth
According to various sources, Elias Pettersson has an estimated net worth of $5 million. This is largely due to his lucrative contract with the Canucks, which pays him an average annual salary of $7.35 million.
He also earns additional income through various sponsorships and endorsements, such as EA Sports, Upper Deck, and Bauer Hockey.
Argumentative
Pettersson has faced a number of challenges and criticisms during his career, such as:
In 2018, he suffered a head injury after being hit by Florida Panthers defenseman Mike Matheson, which sent him crashing to the ice after the buzzer sounded.
Matheson was not penalized for the hit, but he was later suspended for two games by the NHL Department of Player Safety for obstruction and unsportsmanlike conduct.
Social media
- Instagram name: @_eliaspettersson
- Twitter Username:
