7 numbers behind Elias Pettersson’s rookie success

On Tuesday night, Elias Pettersson predictably re-wrote the Canucks history books.

After registering an assist on Markus Granlund’s goal, Pettersson vaulted himself to first on the Canucks all-time list for points by a rookie, passing Pavel Bure and Ivan Hlinka.

Although Bure and Pettersson are completely different players, most would probably call Dekey Pete the best rookie in team history. His on-ice vision and puck skills are second-to-none, and his scoring pace early on left him in elite company with Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

With ten games left to go in the season, there are some other numbers from Pettersson that deserve attention. Here’s a look at seven other stats that highlight Pettersson’s rookie brilliance.

2.75 points-per-60: Most among rookies with more than 150 minutes played at even-strength. It’s the highest-mark among rookies over the last three seasons, aside from 2017-18 when Tampa Bay’s Anthony Cirelli posted 2.88 points-per-60 at evens in just 18 regular season games.

44: Number of even-strength points that Elias Pettersson has. The franchise record was set by Ivan Hlinka when he posted 49 even-strength points as a 32-year-old rookie in 1981-82.

Only six rookies have surpassed 50 even-strength points in the last 20 years: Mark Stone (50), Patrik Laine (50), Alex Ovechkin (51), Artemi Panarin (53), Sidney Crosby (53) and Mathew Barzal (58).

Two: The number of five point games that Pettersson has in his young career. He’s the only Canucks rookie to have a five-point game to his name. 14 different Canucks rookies have had a four-point game, although Brock Boeser is the only one of those rookies with two such games.

Seven: The number of game-winning goals that Elias Pettersson has as a rookie. That’s already a franchise record.

The NHL record for game-winning goals by a rookie is nine, held by Marek Svatos (2005-06) & Steve Larmer (1982-83). Five other players have eight game winners as a rookie: Howie Meeker (1946-47), Dick Gamble (1951-52), Joe Nieuwendyk (1985-86), Logan Couture (2010-11) and Auston Matthews (2016-17).

28: The number of penalties drawn by Elias Pettersson. That’s the best mark in the NHL by a rookie over the last three seasons. With Pettersson only taking four penalties so far this season, his +24 penalty differential is also best in the league among rookies.

Only Nathan MacKinnon (30) and Johnny Gaudreau (29) have drawn more penalties this season. Aleksander Barkov is tied with Pettersson in penalties drawn, and is the only player with a better penalty differential at +25.

21.3: This is Pettersson’s shooting percentage, which is best all-time among Canucks rookies who took more than 50 shots in their freshman campaign. As of now, it narrowly beats out Dixon Ward who shot as 19.4% on 111 shots as a rookie back in 1992.

Pettersson’s shooting percentage currently is 7th highest among rookies in the last 20 years, for players who took more than 50 shots. North Vancouver native Alexander Kerfoot holds that record, after shooting at 23.4% on 81 shots as a rookie last year.

18:26: This is Pettersson’s average ice time for the Canucks this season. It’s the highest average among rookies in team history, since the NHL started tracking ice time back in 1997-98. Only four defenceman have topped that average as a rookie for the Canucks: Ben Hutton, Troy Stecher, Alex Edler and Mattias Ohlund.

Are there any under-discussed Pettersson’s stats that need attention? Let us know in the comments. Come all ye NM faithful!