As thrilling as the Vancouver Canucks 2024 house-money playoff run has been to date, there’s been one ongoing concern: what’s wrong with Elias Pettersson?

The 25-year-old all-star centre has only one goal and three assists in 10 games so far this postseason. With Vancouver’s second round matchup with the Edmonton Oilers tied at 2-2, Pettersson has registered one lone point in the series—a power play goal in game three.

In 10 post-season games, he has one goal and three assists.

With Pettersson basically invisible in the Canucks’ 3-2 game four loss to the Edmonton Oilers last night, fans, team staff, his parents, his personal fan club, and everyone at the Consulate of Sweden on Georgia aren’t so much concerned as frantically worried about him.

Postgame following yesterday’s no show, Vancouver coach Rick Tocchet expressed disappointment with numerous players, noting that “five or six or seven” Canucks in the game were basically MIA. One of them was Pettersson, who in March signed a new eight-year contract that made him the fifth highest-paid player in the league. 

“He’s got to get going,” Tocchet said after the game. “I don’t know what else to say.”

Today, ahead of a game five series tie-breaker tomorrow in Vancouver, Pettersson faced the media at Rogers Arena.

After his appearance, fans immediately took to social media to express concerns that he looked dejected, depressed, down, disengaged, disillusioned, and [insert your favourite “d” word here]. 

Pettersson, meanwhile, suggested that he’s doing his best to work through things, acknowledging: “It’s challenged me, but I always said I like challenges and I always like to think I’ve answered them. I like the challenge, but yeah, it’s been a tough one.”

Asked if he feels that he’s played to his full potential these playoffs, Pettersson said, “We all need to be better, and obviously myself, I know I can be better. I’m trying out there, maybe not going the best way right now, but I’m trying. I want to win.”

Ultimately, Vancouver hockey fans want Petey to succeed as much Petey wants to succeed for long-suffering Canucks disciples. So, maybe, leave Pettersson alone while he figures things out. Until, that is, we have no choice but to turn him into the whipping boy equivalent of 2021/22 Brock Boeser.

Watch the entire interview here.

And then say a prayer for the dude, because he looks like he could really use some support, not to mention a hug from J.T. Miller and Nikita Zadorov.