'I'd be smiling if I got that much money, too': Elias Pettersson's teammates, coach react to 8-year contract extension
When Elias Pettersson took to the ice for practice at Rogers Arena Saturday morning, minutes after signing an eight-year, $92.8-million contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks, teammates couldn’t help but notice a difference.
“He’s smiling everywhere he is. You know, I’d be smiling if I got that much money too,” joked teammate Brock Boeser. “I’m just so happy for him, and happy he’s committed to stay here and wants to be a part of this organization.”
“Just seeing him, I think it was a big of a weight off his shoulders. I mean, I think he handled it really well the entire year and didn’t make a big deal out of it or talk about it at all. But, of course, it’s going to be in the back of your mind,” said Quinn Hughes, who considers Pettersson a close friend.
“We have played together for a long time now, and you know, when I first came in, I was 19 and he was just turning 20. Happy for him as a teammate, but also on the other side of that that, he’s going to be here for a long time,” said Hughes.
Head coach Rick Tocchet is also happy he’ll be able to count on Pettersson for years to come.
“He’s been here five years, you know, been a Canuck for five years, and now pretty well going to be a Canuck for the rest of his career. It’s something that I think he really wanted this year by talking to him about it. And this is going to be his home, so it’s exciting for Petey. I am really happy for him,” said Tocchet.
The new contract, which is the richest in Vancouver Canucks history, puts an end to weeks of speculation on Pettersson’s future with the team that drafted him back in 2017.
“I said it the other day, I think regardless if you say it’s not in your mind, it’s obviously in your mind. It’s a lot of money and it’s a big commitment, and I’m just happy he can put it past him and really just focus on doing what he does best, and that’s being a leader and producing for our team,” said Boeser.
“I don’t know if it really affected me that much. As coach you live day to day, game to game. But you also have to think of the psyche of a player too, so I think he can kind of relax a little bit now knowing that he’s got a lot of money coming this way,” added Tocchet.
The signing is also a boost for a team that’s struggled of late, losing six of its last seven games.
“It’s obviously huge for our team and our organization and the city,” said Boeser. “He’s shown that he’s a phenomenal player and, you know, he’s a great kid, and you know just to put it past us and now we can focus on what we want to achieve is huge for our group.”
The Canucks next face off against the Ducks in Anaheim Sunday afternoon.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING 122 active wildfires burning across Canada, 32 considered 'out of control'
The 2024 wildfire season has begun, and it's shaping up to follow last year's unprecedented destruction in kind, with thousands of square kilometres already consumed.
B.C. parents sentenced to 15 years for death of 6-year-old boy
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has sentenced the mother and stepfather of a six-year-old boy who died from blunt-force trauma in 2018 to 15 years in prison.
Veteran TSN sportscaster Darren Dutchyshen has died
Veteran TSN broadcaster Darren 'Dutch' Dutchyshen, one of Canada’s best-known sports journalists, has died. He was 57. His family says 'he passed as he was surrounded by his closest loved ones.'
Police issue Canada-wide warrant for Regina homicide suspect
Police have issued a Canada-wide warrant for a man wanted in a homicide which occurred in Regina on May 12.
Kevin Spacey receives star support as he fights to get his career back
Kevin Spacey is pushing back on the 'rush to judgment' against him and is being backed by some big names as he seeks to reclaim his acting career.
Speaker cuts ties with Sask. Party, alleges he faced threats, harassment from gov't MLAs
The Speaker of the Saskatchewan Legislature Randy Weekes has severed ties with the Sask. Party after accusing some members of harassment and intimidation tactics, including a situation he claimed saw the Government House Leader bring a hunting rifle to the legislative building.
Trudeau calls New Brunswick's Conservative government a 'disgrace' on women's rights
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assailed New Brunswick's premier and other conservative leaders on Thursday, calling out the provincial government's position on abortion, LGBTQ youth and climate change.
A Toronto man killed his mother and decapitated her. His lawyers argue it wasn't murder
A ‘lifetime of abuse’ led Dallas Ly to snap and repeatedly stab his mother inside their Leslieville apartment in 2022 but he never intended to kill her, his defence lawyers argued during his murder trial in Toronto on Thursday.
Father charged with second-degree murder in daughter's stabbing death southwest of Montreal
A father has been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of his 34-year-old daughter in southern Quebec.