In case you didn’t know, Vancouver Canucks prospect Elias Pettersson — the fifth overall pick of 2017 — dominated the SHL and is giving the franchise a huge glimmer of hope.
The 19-year-old turned heads by leading the Växjö Lakers to the SHL Championship. He was also named the playoff MVP, the SHL’s top rookie, Forward of the Year and league MVP. Did we mention he’s only 19 years of age?
Now, everybody knows Pettersson needs to bulk up and add more weight to his 6-foot-2, 170-pound frame. But at this point, it couldn’t be more evident that he’s ready for the NHL — especially when you see how big of an impact he’s already had for Sweden at the World Hockey Championship in Denmark.