'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
Freeland leaves capital gains tax change out of coming budget implementation bill, here's why
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Ontario woman surprised after 20-year-old fines suddenly tank credit score
An Ontario woman says that she was shocked when provincial fines from 20 years ago suddenly tanked her credit score last week, but the situation may not be as unusual as it seems, according to at least one debt expert.
Anger can harm your blood vessel function, study shows
Stress and anger can have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, studies have shown. New research points to just how the mechanism may work.
A 98-year-old in Ukraine walked miles to safety from Russians, with slippers and a cane
A 98-year-old woman in Ukraine who escaped Russian-occupied territory by walking almost 10 kilometres (six miles) alone, wearing a pair of slippers and supported by a cane has been reunited with her family days after they were separated while fleeing to safety.
Will an 'out of sight, out of mind' cellphone policy make a difference in Ontario schools?
Ontario’s cellphone ban in schools has been met with mixed reaction, with some teachers concerned about constant policing of kids and experts applauding the change as necessary for student learning.
A Utah couple accidentally shipped their cat with an Amazon return. A week -- and 3 'miracles' -- later, they were on a plane to meet a stranger
The Amazon returns employee wasn't at work the day one of her colleagues at a California warehouse found a small, furry stowaway in a box mailed six days earlier from Utah. But Brandy Hunter got the call anyway.
Dueling protesters clash at UCLA hours after police clear pro-Palestinian demonstration at Columbia
Dueling groups of protesters clashed Wednesday at the University of California, Los Angeles, grappling in fistfights and shoving, kicking and using sticks to beat one another. Hours earlier, police burst into a building at Columbia University that pro-Palestinian protesters took over and broke up a demonstration that had paralyzed the school while inspiring others.
Poilievre kicked out of Commons after calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko'
Testy exchanges between the prime minister and his chief opponent ended with the Opposition leader and one of his MPs being ejected from the House of Commons on Tuesday -- and the rest of Conservative caucus walking out of the chamber in protest.
Avalanche eliminate Winnipeg Jets from playoffs with 6-3 road win
Mikko Rantanen's first two goals of the playoffs propelled the Colorado Avalanche to a 6-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday that clinched their opening-round playoff series in five games.