The Vancouver Canucks have selected Swedish center Elias Pettersson with the fifth selection in the NHL Draft. The 18 year-old scored 19 goals and had 22 assists last season with Timra in Sweden’s second division.
Pettersson’s older brother Emil, was drafted by Nashville in 2013. He signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Predators in May of 2017.
"It was a special moment" – @_EPettersson reflects on being drafted by the #Canucks. pic.twitter.com/KqaQT5BtlO
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) June 24, 2017
According to Canucks.com, Pettersson won a silver medal for his country at the 2016 Under-18 World Championship and the 2015 Ivan Hlinka Memorial. He also represented Sweden at the 2017 World Junior Championship.
(KPUG – Doug Lange; Information from the Associated Press and Canucks.com were used in this story)