Elias Pettersson | #40 | C

[Yung1]

4 hours ago, -AJ- said:

Tons of people compare EP to Gretkzy because of his playstyle. Very, very few people compare them on a level of dominance. Gretzky tied for the league lead in points in his rookie season and broke the points record in his sophomore year. Gretzky wasn't just the best player in the NHL during his heyday, he was by a country mile the best player in the NHL. Stylistically, they are eerily similar, but Gretzky is still in another world compared to EP when it comes to dominance of the game.

You have a good point. EP may come in a hair shy of Gretzky's dominance. I dont think it's unfair to say that given his unique skillset, which includes his mind being one of his greatest strengths, that EP may be the most dominant forward we've seen SINCE Gretzky, in his prime. ***bold prediction***

Edited February 12, 2019 by Yung1
Added a comma

[Alflives]

1 hour ago, Kanukfanatic said:

There is a small group of Canuck posters here that always seem to have to put down other teams prospects / players to make them feel better. Pretty sad.

Gretzky was great.  But defensively he was terrible.  Messier was the more complete player, which was proven by the two Cups he lead his teams to, without Gretzky.  

And yes, it feels good to see other teams’ prospects bustaroo.  Sports are about competition.  We are competing on every level with the other teams.  

[Alflives]

4 hours ago, -AJ- said:

Tons of people compare EP to Gretkzy because of his playstyle. Very, very few people compare them on a level of dominance. Gretzky tied for the league lead in points in his rookie season and broke the points record in his sophomore year. Gretzky wasn't just the best player in the NHL during his heyday, he was by a country mile the best player in the NHL. Stylistically, they are eerily similar, but Gretzky is still in another world compared to EP when it comes to dominance of the game.

Mario was (perhaps?) better than Gretzky.  Lemieux played on a much inferior team, played through numerous injuries, and still dominated.  

[-AJ-]

Just now, Alflives said:

Mario was (perhaps?) better than Gretzky.  Lemieux played on a much inferior team, played through numerous injuries, and still dominated.  

He was the only competitor, for sure. In Mario's best days, he was better than Gretzky, but then, Gretzky wasn't at his best anymore. Few players ever dominated like those two.

[cory40]

4 hours ago, -AJ- said:

Tons of people compare EP to Gretkzy because of his playstyle. Very, very few people compare them on a level of dominance. Gretzky tied for the league lead in points in his rookie season and broke the points record in his sophomore year. Gretzky wasn't just the best player in the NHL during his heyday, he was by a country mile the best player in the NHL. Stylistically, they are eerily similar, but Gretzky is still in another world compared to EP when it comes to dominance of the game.

Gretzky also played when players couldn't skate backwards! If you don't think EP will dominate on another level soon, Here are a few facts.

(1) Elias is now in a new country.

(2) New rink size.

(3) Converted from wing to center!

(4) He has played many games with-out NHL caliber wingers!

Elias learned all this in the NHL, with dominating many games. 

So when player and coaches and scouts compare him to Gretzky its because he is coming in just like Gretzky and making people notice.

So the fact he has bettered McDavids rookie season and Matthews and you have to go back decades to Ovie and Teemu one can only say wow.

Imagine if he cheated like McDavid he would easily get 2pts a game. And that's the beauty he starts from his own end!

 

The 1 fair comparison to Gretzky, that I notice is the critics!

[cory40]

ELITE PETTERSSON!

[Tiger-Hearted]

It's not ALL bad news from tonight.

 

Pettersson/Canucks rookie records update:

 

Needs 16 more assists to tie Dale Tallon, '71 (42).

 

Needs 9 more points to tie Ivan Hlinka, '82 & Pavel Bure, '92 (60).

[Ballisticsports.]

3 hours ago, Alflives said:

Gretzky was great.  But defensively he was terrible.  Messier was the more complete player, which was proven by the two Cups he lead his teams to, without Gretzky.  

And yes, it feels good to see other teams’ prospects bustaroo.  Sports are about competition.  We are competing on every level with the other teams.  

Defensively he was terrible? If you are always putting the puck in the net when you have it, seems like it's the other team is terrible defensively

[Ballisticsports.]

3 hours ago, cory40 said:

Gretzky also played when players couldn't skate backwards! If you don't think EP will dominate on another level soon, Here are a few facts.

(1) Elias is now in a new country.

(2) New rink size.

(3) Converted from wing to center!

(4) He has played many games with-out NHL caliber wingers!

Elias learned all this in the NHL, with dominating many games. 

So when player and coaches and scouts compare him to Gretzky its because he is coming in just like Gretzky and making people notice.

So the fact he has bettered McDavids rookie season and Matthews and you have to go back decades to Ovie and Teemu one can only say wow.

Imagine if he cheated like McDavid he would easily get 2pts a game. And that's the beauty he starts from his own end!

 

The 1 fair comparison to Gretzky, that I notice is the critics!

So Orr ,Coffey, Bourque, lindstrom Potvin Robinson etc sucked Cory 40?

Gretzkys peers played against the same defencemen, so why was he scoring 50% more points than the Leagues 2nd best scorer?

 

Ep is doing it as a 20 yr old who played in a mens league already the others came in younger out of Junior

Yeah McD cheats lol- That's why the players respect him every year as the best player

 

Anyways this is a EP thread

He is a very good player, and his stature and style reminds me of Gretzky

Next year you same guys will be saying Hughes is already better than Orr

 

True hockey fans would show some respect for the greats who put in their time

 

[Pepe Silvia]

MVPete

Edited February 12, 2019 by Pepe Silvia

[cory40]

1 minute ago, ba;;isticsports said:

So Orr ,Coffey, Bourque, lindstrom Potvin Robinson etc sucked Cory 40?

Gretzkys peers played against the same defencemen, so why was he scoring 50% more points than the Leagues 2nd best scorer?

 

Ep is doing it as a 20 yr old who played in a mens league already the others came in younger out of Junior

Yeah McD cheats lol- That's why the players respect him every year as the best player

 

Anyways this is a EP thread

He is a very good player, and his stature and style reminds me of Gretzky

Next year you same guys will be saying Hughes is already better than Orr

 

True hockey fans would show some respect for the greats who put in their time

 

Sad that a fan like yourself can't show respect for the greats who have put Elias on the front lines. gretzky himself said Elias reminds him of himself. Paul Kariya stated the same. The great Swedish hockey players have said statements like Swedish Gretzky. Don't get me wrong a player like Elias comes along every 20 or so years. So Vancouver gets their 2nd generational player. Maybe your more of a critic than a true hockey fan. Maybe you don't respect the opinions of the greats. That's fine but you seldom hear gretzky compare players to himself. And Paul Kariya has flooded the internet with all the players he thinks remind him of Gretzky. Its really fans like yourself that need to look in the mirror when you come off thinking fans who repeat what great hockey players have stated don't respect the players. Elias played in a mens league and dominated taking play-off MVP. What can you expect from Elias? A lot more points in the future! 

Really he has no ceiling! Elias has taken a team that was expected to be dead last! And they are already ahead of the Oilers. Maybe if McDavid could play in his own end they would fare better.

Mario was rated head to head against Gretzky. How has McDavid done head to head against the rookie. Hmmmmmmm maybe McDavid better get the MVP this year because I doubt Elias doesn't turn it up a gear next year!

[Westcoasting]

5 minutes ago, Pepe Silvia said:

MVPete

Of the team or the league?

 

[Bell]

4 hours ago, Alflives said:

Gretzky was great.  But defensively he was terrible.  Messier was the more complete player, which was proven by the two Cups he lead his teams to, without Gretzky.  

And yes, it feels good to see other teams’ prospects bustaroo.  Sports are about competition.  We are competing on every level with the other teams.  

Alf did you ever see Gretzky play live?  He was a very good defensive player, It was incredible watching him play.  He would always be were the puck was going to be before it got there.

[-AJ-]

31 minutes ago, cory40 said:

Sad that a fan like yourself can't show respect for the greats who have put Elias on the front lines. gretzky himself said Elias reminds him of himself. Paul Kariya stated the same. The great Swedish hockey players have said statements like Swedish Gretzky. Don't get me wrong a player like Elias comes along every 20 or so years. So Vancouver gets their 2nd generational player. Maybe your more of a critic than a true hockey fan. Maybe you don't respect the opinions of the greats. That's fine but you seldom hear gretzky compare players to himself. And Paul Kariya has flooded the internet with all the players he thinks remind him of Gretzky. Its really fans like yourself that need to look in the mirror when you come off thinking fans who repeat what great hockey players have stated don't respect the players. Elias played in a mens league and dominated taking play-off MVP. What can you expect from Elias? A lot more points in the future! 

Really he has no ceiling! Elias has taken a team that was expected to be dead last! And they are already ahead of the Oilers. Maybe if McDavid could play in his own end they would fare better.

Mario was rated head to head against Gretzky. How has McDavid done head to head against the rookie. Hmmmmmmm maybe McDavid better get the MVP this year because I doubt Elias doesn't turn it up a gear next year!

If you honestly think the comparisons to Gretzky are considering his dominance, think again. Pettersson and Gretzky play very very similarly stylistically, so of course those like Kariya and Gretzky himself would compare him to Gretzky, but the numbers speak for themselves, Pettersson isn't even close to Gretzky-level right now.

 

EP is a discount Gretzky and that's no sleight at all.

[Phat Fingers]

13 hours ago, -AJ- said:

Tons of people compare EP to Gretkzy because of his playstyle. Very, very few people compare them on a level of dominance. Gretzky tied for the league lead in points in his rookie season and broke the points record in his sophomore year. Gretzky wasn't just the best player in the NHL during his heyday, he was by a country mile the best player in the NHL. Stylistically, they are eerily similar, but Gretzky is still in another world compared to EP when it comes to dominance of the game.

To be fair, the Oilers of the 80's were stacked.  Gretz didnt have a struggling team to play with.  They were dominant from the start.  

 

Different eras and different players.  

 

The skating style, fast yet looks slow, shifts on a dime, way to skinny.  The shot and wind up are similar and the vision.  

 

Where they differ so far is in ability, Gretz was so ahead of his time, now the league is way more structured and thoughtful about defence.  It would be fair to say that even Gretz wouldn't put up his numbers in today's league.  

 

Defence was something Gretz left to others, he was a one dimensional player and the best one dimensional player of all time.  He didnt really back check, he didn't block shots etc.  He did steal alot of pucks intercept passes.  EP40 is Datsyuk like in his defensive tenacity.  

 

What he really has in common with all great players is confidence.  He has incredible confidence for a man as young as he is.  

 

 

I hesitate to go beyond playing styles for a number of reasons.  EP40 is his own player, his abilities are astounding and this team has never had a player of his talent.  

 

He will have a long career and when it is done, other players will be compared to him and how he played.  

 

His impact on this roster has only just started.  

[Phat Fingers]

14 hours ago, Ronaldoescobar said:

I think the race will be very very close at the end between Dahlin and EP and could go either way at this point. 

They have to make the race look closer than it is.  Dahlin would be hands down the leader if it wasn't for EP40.  

 

EP40 is still far ahead of his peers, including Dahlin.  

 

They are both tops and this is similar to the Boeser vs Barzal situation from last year.  An injury decided the outcome.  Brock was the front runner based on goals.  He was on pace for 40 and then he got hurt, Barzal would not have won otherwise.  

 

Scoring 40g as a rookie in the NHL is so rare these days that it would garuantee the Calder.  Ep40 has some very note worthy early accomplishments and statistically is off the charts.  Leading the league in Shooting Percentage.  

 

Dahlin plays defence which gives him an edge, but not as much as you might think.  Center vs Defence is debatable.  If EP40 was a winger, that would make the race more even. 

[-AJ-]

1 hour ago, Phat Fingers said:

They have to make the race look closer than it is.  Dahlin would be hands down the leader if it wasn't for EP40.  

 

EP40 is still far ahead of his peers, including Dahlin.  

 

They are both tops and this is similar to the Boeser vs Barzal situation from last year.  An injury decided the outcome.  Brock was the front runner based on goals.  He was on pace for 40 and then he got hurt, Barzal would not have won otherwise.  

 

Scoring 40g as a rookie in the NHL is so rare these days that it would garuantee the Calder.  Ep40 has some very note worthy early accomplishments and statistically is off the charts.  Leading the league in Shooting Percentage.  

 

Dahlin plays defence which gives him an edge, but not as much as you might think.  Center vs Defence is debatable.  If EP40 was a winger, that would make the race more even. 

A few thoughts:

 

1. As it stands right now, Dahlin is on pace for 46 points. I don't think this will be enough to put him in serious contention and EP would win in a landslide right now with a few 1st place votes sprinkled on Dahlin probably. That said, if Dahlin can continue improving and push to the 50-point mark, he'd be making a significant mark on history. A rookie defenseman hasn't broken the 50-point barrier since Marek Zidlicky had 53 points in 2003-04 (and he turned 27 partway through the year, so he was ineligible for the Calder). Prior to that, you have to go back to 24-year old Vladimir Malakhov in 1992-93 with 52 points. The point is, if Dahlin can push to that level, he'd be the third defenseman in just over 25 years to do so, which would be sure to garner some more attention, though probably not quite steal the award from Pettersson at this rate. Dahlin would have to be pretty incredible to rob this one from Pettersson. A 60-point rookie season might do it, but that's very unlikely given his current pace.

 

2. A lot of people forget that Boeser was slowing down quite a bit in the final month or so prior to his injury and Barzal was pulling quite far ahead in the point race already. If you pro-rate Boeser's stats, he was on pace for about 38 goals and 34 assists for 72 points. Now goals are great and all, but Barzal's 85 points is significantly higher than that and I don't think the value of goals over assists would be enough to give Boeser the edge in that vote. The only case to be made is a presumptuous one that Boeser would have picked up his game again and finished with over 40 goals and maybe 80 or so points, but that's just spit balling really.

[aGENT]

3 hours ago, Phat Fingers said:

They have to make the race look closer than it is.  Dahlin would be hands down the leader if it wasn't for EP40.  

 

If Hart keeps up what he's been doing, he's going to force himself in to this conversation as well.

[therodigy]

19 minutes ago, aGENT said:

 

If Hart keeps up what he's been doing, he's going to force himself in to this conversation as well.

If Hart carries Philly into the post-season, I would imagine so. He's playing very well right now.

[Alflives]

7 hours ago, Bell said:

Alf did you ever see Gretzky play live?  He was a very good defensive player, It was incredible watching him play.  He would always be were the puck was going to be before it got there.

Yup.  Mrs. Alf and I made a point of watching the Oilers every time we could, when they came to town those years.  Gretzky was terrible below the dots in his own end.  Messier was by far the better overall player.