#8 – Elias Pettersson
As odd as it is that there are two Sebastian Aho’s in the NHL, it’s even stranger that there are two players named Elias Pettersson. That’s because they both play for the Vancouver Canucks. Just like the Ahos, each Elias Pettersson plays a different position. This Pettersson is a 24-year-old forward from Sundsvall, Sweden. He was drafted fifth-overall in 2017.
Pettersson is in the final year of his contract that carries a $7.35M AAV. He is set to become a restricted free agent (RFA) at the conclusion of the season. If he continues to play the way he has, the Canucks will be paying much more for Pettersson’s services on his next deal.
The forward is someone who makes everyone around him better. His teammate, Andrei Kuzmenko, really benefited from playing on a line with Pettersson. Kuzmenko’s finishing ability also helped Pettersson increase his assist total.
In 2021-22, Pettersson recorded 68 points in 80 games on 32 goals and 36 assists. He improved that last season playing the same number of games. He tallied 102 points on 39 goals and 63 assists.
#7 – Tage Thompson
Tage Thompson has become one of the premiere young stars of the NHL. He was originally drafted 27th overall by the St. Louis Blues. The Buffalo Sabres couldn’t have known when they received Thompson as part of a package for future Toronto Maple Leafs player Ryan O’Reilly, that he would develop into the star he has become.
In Thompson’s first four years in the league combined, he collected 18 goals and 17 assists over 145 games. It wasn’t until 2021-2022 that it became clear that Thompson was a must-watch player. That season, he put together a 78 game campaign where he scored 38 goals and 30 assists for a total of 68 points.
As surprising as Thompson’s transformation was that season, he followed it up by having an even better one, a year later. In 78 contests, he collected 94 points on 47 goals and 47 helpers. Look for him joining the 50 goals club this coming season.