During the Vancouver Canucks' season-ending media availability on Thursday, there was a lot of discussion about forward Elias Pettersson's injury history over the past several months. Pettersson responded to those rumors today.
Elias Pettersson disclosed to reporters that he has been enduring a knee problem since January, which he claimed has become increasingly excruciating over time. Fortunately for the Canucks, Pettersson stated that rest is all that is necessary for his ailment rather than surgery.
"Yeah, I was playing with a bad knee since January or it's been like a nagging injury. So, the longer it went, the more pain I felt." Pettersson said.
"No, just needs time to heal, time to rest and then rehab as soon as I'm back home." He said when asked if his injury needed surgery.
After enduring rumors about his contract prior to signing an extension and his potential for trade, which was once thought to be a possibility, Pettersson continued by saying he was excited to travel and enjoy his summer.
"It's been a noisy season in terms of the contract and how shit I've been the last few months." Pettersson said.
After leading the Canucks' offensive for months alongside Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, and Brock Boeser, Pettersson only has two goals in his previous 26 games dating back to March 21st against the Montreal Canadiens.
When training camp convenes in September, Pettersson is anticipated to have fully recovered. The Canucks are hopeful that he can regain his form to begin the 2024–25 season and contribute significantly to the team once more.
