This week’s mailbag features a number of questions about the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Vegas Golden Knights, Joel Quenneville, the Hockey Hall of Fame, and more.
After a brief delay, the Puck Prose mailbag is back. This week’s mailbag has questions regarding the Columbus Blue Jackets and whether or not they are for real, if the Vegas Golden Knights’ Cinderella season was just a mirage, where Joel Quenneville ranks among the all-time great coaches, the Hockey Hall of Fame, and more.
As always, you can submit questions via the #PuckProseMailbag hashtag on Twitter, tweeting us at @Puck_Prose, or via email (fansided.dave@gmail.com with the subject “Puck Prose Mailbag”). There’s a lot to cover this week, so let’s get started.
Just How Good Is Elias Pettersson?
As a Vancouver Canucks fan, I want to be excited about Elias Pettersson. But at the same time, I can’t help but feel that light at the end of the tunnel might not be hope, but rather a train getting ready to crush my hopes. Is Pettersson the Canucks’ next star?
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Pettersson is off to an amazing start. I never thought I’d say “the Canucks are must-watch hockey” in 2018, but, yeah, they are. And it’s largely due to Pettersson. In a way too early 2017 re-draft, Pettersson goes first overall.
That said, cautious optimism should be your feeling. Pettersson is really darn good. Heck, he’s great. But Pettersson is not “maintain a 26.3 shooting percentage” great. Nobody is. Pettersson has a deceptive shot and a quick release, but goalies are going to pick up on it eventually.
Even with the inevitable regression, Petersson’s extremely aggressive with the puck, which is a great sign. I’m impressed with his ability to not just create scoring chances for himself but do so for his teammates as well.
Pettersson’s defense is a tad bit worrisome on paper, but his struggles there are nothing to worry about – yet. He’s a teenager playing against the best men in the world and it’s his first year in North America. Pettersson will be fine.