Going into the season, Elias Pettersson had every intention to take a wait-and-see approach in regard to contract negotiations as he wanted to see what direction the Vancouver Canucks were going.
With Vancouver sitting near the top of the NHL standings, Pettersson was impressed by what president Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin have been able to accomplish. This made the decision to commit to a long-term extension a no-brainer.
Speaking to reporters after signing a franchise-record eight-year, $92.8-million contract extension, Pettersson joked that he was playing his cards slowly in negotiations this season.
“I said I wanted to wait until after the season, but after talking more with management and my agents, I wanted to get it done,” Pettersson said.
Although Pettersson was slated to be a restricted free agent, he was in no rush to put pen to paper on a deal.
However, the forward did admit that he was feeling a bit of pressure to get a deal done but stressed that he wanted to make sure he was making the right choice.
“I’m human, with the pressure on me and what’s ahead, that’s why I wanted to wait to make sure I was making the right decision,” Pettersson said.
The 25-year-old expressed excitement that he and the team can put any distractions about his contract behind them and focus on their ultimate goal of winning a Stanley Cup.
Not only does this deal give the Canucks peace of mind about not having to worry about locking up another core player in the off-season, Allvin said this also provides clarity on what the team can do moving forward.
