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Elias Pettersson Injury Update
Elias Pettersson is out with an upper body injury and is on injured reserve right now. The team says he is getting closer but there is still no exact return date.
Pettersson first dropped out of the lineup on December 5 with what the Vancouver Canucks call an upper body injury. He tried to go through morning skate before the Minnesota Wild game and even took part for a bit then left early.
He was ruled out later that day and missed that game plus the next ones on the schedule. He has now missed several straight games.
Reports say he has eight goals and fourteen assists for twenty two points in twenty eight games this season which shows how big a loss he is down the middle.
The Canucks moved him to injured reserve with the designation set retroactive to December 5 which means he can be activated once he is ready without waiting a full extra week from now.
Coaches and reporters describe the injury as upper body with no extra detail. There is no word of surgery. The team keeps saying he is close which hints more at a short term problem than a season ending one but the timeline has slipped a bit.
On December 21 assistant coach Nolan Foote said again that it was an upper area issue and that Pettersson had tweaked or jammed something earlier in the week.
Foote added that he thinks Pettersson is close and hopes he will return in one of the first games after the Christmas break though even he did not sound fully sure.
So right now the target window is the first or second game after the holiday pause if his body responds well. Fantasy sites expect him to travel with the team on the upcoming road trip which is another sign that he is nearing a return.
Until he is cleared the Canucks have to lean on depth centers like David Kampf and Aatu Raty while wingers such as Drew OConnor slide into the middle.
The center group is thin because other forwards like Filip Chytil and Teddy Blueger are also hurt which puts more pressure on the remaining healthy players.
In simple terms he is out with an upper body issue on injured reserve has missed multiple games and is officially listed as close to coming back.
The most realistic hope is a return sometime right after Christmas but nothing is guaranteed yet so fans and fantasy managers need to keep checking team updates before each game.
Disclaimer:
This injury update is based on official team designations, coach comments, and reports from Canucks beat writers as of now. The Vancouver Canucks have not disclosed specific medical details regarding Elias Pettersson beyond the “upper-body injury” label. Timelines, practice status, and availability may change at any time depending on medical evaluations. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.
