Update on Elias Pettersson and Canucks GM Face-to-Face Meeting

Elias Pettersson's league-leading pace from earlier in the season has cooled off a bit, but Vancouver Canucks fans can rest assured that the team's interest in extending him has not. Insider Elliotte Friedman, speaking on the Donnie & Dhali show today, explained that GM Patrik Allvin met face-to-face with Pettersson last week to reiterate their interest in getting something done. 

I just think Allvin wanted to meet with him, just a general check-in to see if everything was alright, and hear what he had to say. But I think he reiterated there that they want to sign him. 

Pettersson's three-year, $22M contract is coming to an end after the season, but he'll only be a restricted free agent at that time, so is there really an urgency? 

"Yes, they do have a lot of time, he's not an unrestricted free agent until 2025," said Friedman, "but (they) live in a noisy market... and nobody wants to go into next year where there's uncertainty about what his contract status is... So the Canucks just reiterated to him that they're committed to him, and whenever he wants to sit down and do it, they're gonna be ready to do it."

The 25-year-old Pettersson has 10 goals, 22 assists and 32 points in 25 games thus far this season, playing just a few ticks under 20 minutes per game. He broke out big-time last year, with 102 points. 

Vancouver sits in 2nd spot in the Pacific Division with 33 points, at 16-8-1, but the hard-charging Los Angeles Kings are hot on their tails. 

Photo: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports