Elias Pettersson may be the most electrifying player Vancouver Canucks fans have seen since Pavel Bure.
The rookie racked up five points in Friday night's 7-6 overtime victory against the Colorado Avalanche, raising fans to their feet every time he touched the puck. In fact, he became the youngest player in franchise history to reach the five-point mark in one game, according to Sportsnet.
He scored the game-tying goal, and assisted on Derrick Pouliot's OT winner, but his best work of the night may have come on this sensational bank pass to Brock Boeser in the second period.
"His pass on my second goal was something," Boeser said postgame. "That's rare. I was speechless. He's mini-Pavel like I said. He's leading us and helped us get this big win tonight."
The play had many drawing comparisons to another Canucks great in Henrik Sedin.
Expectations were high for Pettersson heading into his rookie season after breaking numerous Swedish Hockey League records for a U20 player a year ago, but it's hard to imagine anyone predicted he'd have nine goals and 15 points in his first nine games.
Pettersson already seems like a runaway favorite for the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie, but if he keeps this up, he may find himself in the Hart Trophy conversation sooner or later.
The Canucks lead the Pacific Division with 18 points, and it's difficult to imagine where they'd be without Pettersson.
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