Los Angeles Kings
Elias Pettersson Skating Footage Drama Just Noise, Not a Concern
The Elias Pettersson footage of him at a skate with Kings players is not a sign he’s in rough shape or that a trade is coming.
There is a pretty minor piece of footage of Elias Pettersson skating with the Los Angeles Kings that’s blown up on social media because of everything already swirling around the forward this offseason. But let’s be clear, the issue is not actually how Pettersson looks or what’s in the clip. Any speculation resulting from that footage is just noise.
So why is it suddenly a storyline?
Why This Pettersson Footage Is a Big Deal At All
Pettersson just wrapped up 51 points in 74 games, one of the rougher seasons of his eight-year career. It’s been a genuinely turbulent offseason for him. Trade rumors are everywhere and the organization has publicly challenged him to raise his effort level.
When you couple that with the fact he skating with the Kings, one of the teams reportedly interested in trading for him, it’s not surprising that this video footage has garnered some attention. With Anze Kopitar’s retirement, his exit has left a hole down the middle that LA hasn’t solved, and the player with full no-move/no-trade control over any deal is skating with a team that has already called Vancouver about him.
It’s not abnormal for players to skate with other teams or players from other teams. That happens all the time. But, because trade speculation is already part of the conversation involving Pettersson, any random detail (who he’s skating with, how sharp he looks, where it’s happening) gets over-analyzed.
Key To Remember Here
As much as some fans would like to make a mountain out of a molehill, the video quality isn’t great, making it hard to even identify who’s who. It’s also an open summer skate, not a tryout or an official practice. This is a completely informal offseason skill work with a mixed group of Ducks, Leafs, Jets, Ontario Reign, and BCHL players.
Pettersson is skating. He’s getting out there well ahead of the season and loosening up. None of this is a bad thing. There should be no reason for anyone to wonder, “is this guy in shape?”
The actual footage is basically noise — a grainy clip of a casual summer scrimmage. What makes it newsworthy is the surrounding context. Could he be traded to the Kings? Sure. That’s possible. Is his being on the ice with some Kings players a sign that it’s coming? Probably not.
Next: NHL Trade Talk Recap: Red Wings, Maple Leafs & Oilers Have Room
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