Canucks' Elias Pettersson unlikely to sign extension before season

It appears one of the NHL’s most significant offseason questions won’t be resolved any time soon. If you’re a Vancouver Canucks fan holding your breath awaiting an Elias Pettersson extension, you’ll have to hold it a lot longer.

Speaking to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman this week, Pettersson, the Canucks’ superstar No. 1 center, indicated he prefers to “wait into the season to consider an extension” and “wants to focus on starting strong” in 2023-24.

“I got one more year left over there. And I don’t want to rush into anything because I still don’t know myself if it’s going to be a short- or long-term (deal),” Pettersson told Friedman. “It’s going to be probably my biggest contract so far. So I don’t want to stress anything.”

Pettersson, 24, is coming off by far his best NHL season in 2022-23, in which he finally delivered on the promise he showed in his Calder Trophy-winning rookie season of 2018-19. Pettersson exploded for career highs of 39 goals and 102 points last season. He earned all-situations trust under mid-season coaching replacement Rick Tocchet. Pettersson’s time on ice jumped multiple minutes per game, and he led the NHL with five shorthanded goals.

Pettersson enters the final season of his current contract, a three-year bridge deal carrying a $7.35 million cap hit. If he can produce anything close to what he accomplished last season, he’s likely looking at an AAV north of $10 million. Looking for a comparable? New York Islanders center Mathew Barzal signed an eight-year pact at a $9.15 million AAV last fall after completing his entry-level deal and a three-year bridge at $7 million. Pettersson’s point production has far exceeded Barzal’s, and Pettersson’s two-way game is rounding into form under Tocchet.

It would help Pettersson’s cause, of course, if he can lead the Canucks back into the playoffs this season. They’ve missed the big dance in three straight seasons and seven of their past eight.