'I'll do whatever it takes to play here full-time one day': Defenseman Elias Pettersson reflects on NHL debut

It was a special night for defenseman Elias Pettersson, who made his NHL debut as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the league-leading Washington Capitals 2-1 on Saturday night.

“It's fun, I'm just trying to enjoy the moment,” Pettersson said. “Yeah, I'm really happy.”

D-Petey (as he is called in the locker room) was selected in the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft and played in eight AHL games last season. He has appeared in 36 AHL games this year, recording one goal and 12 assists while consuming a lot of time in shootouts.

Before we began recording the interview, D-Petey asked about the results of the Abbotsford Canucks' game, which saw them beat the Tucson Roadrunners 6-2 for their eighth straight win. No team in the AHL is hotter than Abbotsford, which will head to the Coachella Valley for Wednesday's game to wrap up a three-game road trip before returning to the Abbotsford Center on Friday.

Pettersson talked about his personal experience in the NHL and the differences he felt between the NHL and the AHL.

“I mean, it's different than the AHL, but, yeah, I think I adjusted pretty well the first few shifts. I think I'm getting more and more into the sport, and just having these guys around you, it's It helped me a lot too. They talked a lot and helped me a lot, so yeah, it was a good game to have them support me.

“It's fun playing at this level, that's where you want to play and like I said before, I'm going to do whatever it takes to play here full-time one day. I've learned that you have to be ready for every shift. Today Late, I feel like I keep things simple, but I know you have to be ready for every shift.

Pettersson credited assistant coach Adam Ford for getting him comfortable with the game plan and setting expectations for the 20-year-old defender.

Canucks captain Quinn Hughes spoke to the media after Saturday night's game and had glowing reviews of Pettersson while being excited to see him continue to develop.

“He can skate, he's in great shape, [and is a] Hughes said he's a good, competitive kid who's going to play a long time. “It's the start of a long career for him, and judging from the past few games, it's not going to be easy. I think he's done a great job, especially for a player like him, and he's going to continue to get better and better. It gets better, especially with Footy back there and he can push the development of the players sooner than you think.

Pettersson played 14 games in 10:37 of ice time and had two hits and a block in the game. He was on the ice with a goal and a clean sheet.