An Instant NHL Star: The "Elias Effect"

In his initial NHL (rookie) season, Elias Pettersson got off to a (veritable) "jaw-dropping start" - finishing with 66 points in 71 games - with 28 goals and 38 assists. He was named NHL Rookie of the Year. In his second season, Elias also finished with 66 points - this time in 68 games (as the season was shortened due to the Covid 19 Pandemic) - with 27 goals and 39 assists. In August, 2020, the NHL announced it would resume play (after a 4-month delay) , to finish the 2019-2020 NHL season. In a unique format - the Vancouver Canucks (in year 50 for the west-coast NHL franchise) beat the Minnesota Wild in four games - in a best of five format, just to make the playoffs. In doing so, the Canucks went up against the 2019 Stanley Cup Champion St. Louis Blues, in Round One. And they dominated the Blues, with Elias Pettersson as one of their go-to stars. In Round Two, the upstart young team subsequently pushed the Las Vegas Golden Knights to seven games, before finally bowing out. Now, they're one of the favorites to finally win the top prize in hockey - The Stanley Cup. A big reason why they're poised to win for the next decade - is young NHL star Elias Pettersson, and the concomitant "Elias Effect." Barring injury, there'll be plenty more "jaw-dropping" moments, for this young NHL super star.