Elias Pettersson is a key piece to the puzzle in Vancity. Adam Foote knows better than anyone the firm commitment the Vancouver Canucks made to the Swede this NHL offseason. However, he didn’t mince words when asked about the lack of minutes for him during the recent 5-1 defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Nothing went Pettersson, Foote or the Canucks’ way during their visit to the Penguins. Despite scoring just one minute into the game, the Canucks were blown out of the water by the Pens, conceding five unanswered goals.
Vancouver had no answers for Pittsburgh, and Foote—apparently—had no plans for Pettersson, who was among the lowest minutes on ice at even strength. On that note, Foote delivered a very honest and deep statement for the star to listen to in the 2025-26 NHL season.
“Pettersson is going to have harder minutes on 5-on-5, because he is the most veteran centerman,” Foote told reporters. “So we’re going to have to put him in more starts in his end than we would prefer. But he’s really good at fighting his man off, face-offs, things like that.”
Where the minutes go?
As Foote thoroughly explained, the low 5v5 ice-time on Pettersson’s stat sheet isn’t a punishment on the veteran forward. If anything, it showcased his crucial role on other areas of the game.
The head coach highlighted how Pettersson wasn’t used as much during 5v5 because he was sent onto the ice during special-teams situations. The numbers reflect Foote’s statement. Pettersson recorded the third-most minutes during power play (4:47 minutes) and shorthanded situations (2:28).
What really matters
Of course, all the talk around Pettersson’s ice time—or lack thereof—won’t really help Foote, Pettersson, or the Canucks. Vancouver must turn the page after a tough loss and get back in the win column.
As things stand, the ‘Nucks sit second in the Pacific Division. On top are the red-hot Vegas Golden Knights, whom the Canucks won’t face again until the new year—specifically February 5—just before NHL players depart for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.