Canucks' Pettersson brushing off size concerns as rookie season nears

Hockey's become a young man's game, with more and more players entering the NHL while they're still physically developing.

Elias Pettersson, the fifth overall pick by the Vancouver Canucks in 2017, is one such case. The Swedish import brings hulking height at 6-foot-2, but a slender figure that weighs in at just over 160 pounds.

But it's his skill, not size, that makes Pettersson a dominant force, as he told NHL.com's Kevin Woodley: "It isn't my weight that got me here ... My style of hockey is not to have big muscles."

That much was evident last season when the 19-year-old finished with 56 points in 44 games to lead his Vaxjo Lakers of the Swedish Hockey League in scoring. He then pocketed another 19 points in 13 playoff appearances en route to the championship and MVP honors.

Pettersson's year also marked the best junior-aged season in the SHL since Kent Nilsson's 53-point campaign more than 40 years ago. As he climbed the ranks, Pettersson passed the likes of Swedish hero Peter Forsberg (48 points) and Canucks legends Daniel and Henrik Sedin (45 and 47 points, respectively).

He appears ready for prime time, as he shifts his game to Vancouver, his second straight pro season as a rookie. On a rebuilding Canucks squad, Pettersson is expected to play in the top six and could see minutes alongside other budding young stars like Brock Boeser and Adam Gaudette.

Don't expect Pettersson to buckle under the pressure of playing in a Canadian market. He's already exceeded expectations in rewriting the SHL's record books. He's now tasked with repeating those exploits in Vancouver, as the Canucks rookie is considered a favorite to capture the Calder Trophy in 2018-19.