The Vancouver Canucks are set to close out one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, finishing near the bottom of the league standings. Amid those struggles, one of the team’s highest-paid players has come under increasing scrutiny, and now a Stanley Cup champion has raised concerns about his performance and demeanor.
$92.8M Vancouver Canucks Star Draws Concern
The spotlight has turned to Elias Pettersson, who is completing the second year of his eight-year, $92.8 million contract.
This season has been another challenging chapter for Pettersson and the Canucks. For the second consecutive year, Pettersson struggled to find the elite offensive form that made him a 100-point player in the past, leading to significant scrutiny in the Vancouver market.
Pettersson finished the season with just 51 points in 73 games, well below the production typically expected from a franchise cornerstone. His year was also disrupted by an upper-body injury in December which placed him on injured reserve for eight games and further stalled any semblance of momentum.
One reason is the team’s lack of offensive depth. Vancouver’s bottom-six scoring ranked among the lowest in the league, forcing Pettersson to take on heavier defensive responsibilities while regularly facing top shutdown pairings. However, his minus-29 rating, the lowest of his career, also reflects broader struggles. It was further impacted by the team’s poor overall goal differential.
Chris Pronger, the 2006-07 Stanley Cup winner, voiced concerns about what he’s seen from Pettersson this season. “I think first, he does not look like he’s having fun. You don’t see him smile very often. He doesn’t look energetic and passionate and excited to be at the rink every day,” Pronger said.
Despite recognizing his talent, Pronger suggested the large contract might have led to a drop in intensity. “I’m not immersed within the team, so I don’t really know. But he just looks like he’s miserable, he just looks very uncomfortable, very unhappy,” he added.
Pronger suggested that outside pressure and heightened expectations may be contributing to the situation, noting that such demands are part of the territory that comes with a major deal.
Away from the ice, Pettersson has also faced personal challenges. His wife, Katelyn Pettersson, recently shared that she experienced a second miscarriage, opening up about the emotional toll.
“Sharing this with a heavy but hopeful heart. I recently experienced my second miscarriage. It’s a kind of grief that feels invisible, yet all-consuming,” Katelyn wrote on Instagram.
The loss came months after a first miscarriage in late 2025, noting the baby had stopped growing at around 9.5 weeks. Her openness highlighted the emotional challenges that can exist behind the scenes, even when they aren’t visible publicly.
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With a difficult season on the ice and personal challenges off it, Pettersson’s year has been far from easy. As the Canucks look ahead to next season, much attention will be on whether their star center can rediscover his elite form and how he responds to both the expectations and the adversity.
