Elias Pettersson Knows Winning in Vancouver Would be Something Special

Donnie & Dhaliwal: Elliotte Friedman when asked what his biggest take away was from his offseason interview with Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson.

** NHLRumors.com transcription

Dhaliwal: “Your interview with Elias Pettersson in Sweden over the summer that you released the whole thing, the boat interview. What’s the biggest thing you took away from that time with Petterson and that interview, Elliotte?

Friedman: “Well, I think the biggest thing was if you saw the piece Rick, and shame on you if you didn’t watch it but if you…”

Dhaliwal: “Elliotte, Elliott, every single thing you do I watch.”

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Friedman: “Okay, because I know Don watches but I figure you just ignore me. Like that’s, that’s what I feel like happens.”

Dhalial: “Never, never.”

Taylor: “It’s true.”

Friedman: “Okay. So, you know, I really was fascinated, and especially seeing it on camera, about the comments about Messi and Argentina winning the World Cup.

And what the end, one of the other things he talked about, and I’m going to write more about our Wednesday when I put my written piece together this week, is you know, he talked about, not only scoring his first goal that night in Vancouver in his first game, but the emotion of a building that night.

You know, he realized in that first game in Vancouver when he scored, he realized, wow, when you do something well in Vancouver, the passion, the emotion, the pride of the fan base, you know, he really said he felt he felt it, and it meant a lot to him.

And if you watched him talk about Messi and winning and the passion of the soccer fans in Argentina, and Messi his whole career, it’s the one thing he hadn’t accomplished and, and finally getting it done. I think Pettersson, not only does he want to win, but he wants to win in a place where it matters. And he knows that if you’re the player and you’re the team that finally break through and win a Stanley Cup for the Vancouver Canucks, that it’s gonna matter.

You know, I mean you guys don’t need me to tell you that. The players that finally win a Stanley Cup in Vancouver when it happens, they aren’t going to be Gods forever. And I don’t think he necessarily needs that kind of status, but I think he wants to feel the passion of that kind of victory.

And so when we’re talking about Pettersson’s future in Vancouver, I believe that is the Canucks best and strongest attribute. That he knows if he wins there, or the Canucks win there, it’s going to matter. It’s going to be a big emotional explosion. And I think he wants to be part of something like that.

So that’s why I think this year, the Canucks showing that they’re moving in the right direction, and he was complimentary of (Rick) Tocchet, that’s why it’s so critical for Petterson because he knows winning there wouldn’t be special.”

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