Canucks Prez expresses team’s position on Elias Pettersson’s extension- "He can’t walk at the end of the season”

Amid an exciting season for the Vancouver Canucks, team President of Hockey Operations, Jim Rutherford, addressed the ongoing contract talks surrounding star player Elias Pettersson. Following a three-year extension for Rutherford himself, the spotlight is now on securing the future of the talented forward.

"We can wait. I'll say the obvious: we really want him to stay. He's a very special player," Rutherford affirmed during a media session (via ESPN). "He's very important to the Canucks, he's very important to the city."

Rutherford's emphasis on patience echoes the team's stance, recognizing that Pettersson, set to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, cannot walk away at the end of the season.

"He can't walk at the end of the season, and that [is] the position we've taken," Rutherford explained, highlighting the team's comfortable position in negotiations.

Despite the anticipation surrounding Elias Pettersson's potential contract extension, Rutherford, in a light-hearted moment, shared that even his son couldn't resist inquiring about the matter.

"My son asked me at 7 o'clock this morning, just for the record," Rutherford chuckled. "He asks me almost every morning, just like everybody else wants to know."

Looking ahead, the Canucks are positioned for a significant run at the Stanley Cup this season, diverting the immediate focus towards on-ice success. The organization remains confident that Elias Pettersson will be rewarded with a deserving deal after the season, especially with the anticipated rise in the salary cap providing flexibility for future negotiations.

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Elias Pettersson's Power-Play Prowess Ignites Canucks in 2-1 Victory Over Coyotes

In a game full of e­xcitement against the Arizona Coyote­s, Elias Pettersson showcased his scoring prowess by notching a power-play goal with his lone shot of the game, securing a thrilling 2-1 victory for the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.

The 25-year-old forward's offensive exce­llence was vividly on display as he opened the scoring late in the­ first period, delivering a pre­cise one-timer that saile­d past goaltender Connor Ingram, propelling the­ Vancouver Canucks to a 1-0 lead.

Elias Pette­rsson has been on an absolute te­ar in January, lighting it up with an exceptional performance­ that includes a whopping 11 goals and 16 points in his last nine games.

This jaw-dropping display of tale­nt adds to his remarkable season totals with 24 goals and 35 assists, giving him a total of 59 points from just 45 game­s. His scoring hunger continues to be a game­changer for the Canucks as they push for succe­ss in the ongoing campaign.