Canucks' Elias Pettersson willing to pressure Brock Boeser to sign
Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson is patiently waiting for Brock Boeser to reach a new deal but as the season inches closer, his tone could soon change.
Pettersson, who took the league by storm in 2018-19 en route to Calder Trophy honours, is taking a day-by-day approach with his teammate.
“Not yet,” Pettersson said to Sportnet’s Iain MacIntyre when asked if he’s putting pressure on Boeser. “But if it’s getting close to Oct. 2 (the Canucks’ season-opener in Edmonton) and he’s not here, I’ll put some pressure on him.”
Boeser remains a restricted free agent and is part of a star-studded class led by Brayden Point, Mitch Marner and Mikko Rantanen who have yet to reach new deals before the campaign gets underway.
“Of course, I hope he’s here tomorrow,” Pettersson said of his teammate. “I hope he’s here as quick as possible.”
Boeser recently revealed that his father was in the intensive care unit due to heart failure for most of August. Pettersson made clear that he’s sympathetic too, noting that he texted his teammate and is praying for the elder Boeser to get well soon.
Pettersson and Boeser are the core components of a Canucks team that has the pieces in place to end its rebuild shortly. With October soon approaching, Pettersson might have to hope he’s equally adept at negotiating off the ice, as he is at playmaking on it.
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