The hockey season is well underway and we are months into the season – and what a season it has been!

Previously, before the season began, we highlighted a number of the top rookies that would appear in the Upper Deck Series 1 2018-19 set release and what cards you should be keeping an eye out for.

Fortunately, most of our picks have had an exceptionally good start to their seasons, as we suspected they would.

Yet, there is one above all others that bears mentioning and will be the highlight of today’s article, Elias Pettersson.

Elias Petterson Beginnings

Selected fifth overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Elias Pettersson was born in 1998 on the 12th of November, in Sundsvall Sweden.

During his youth his was a dominating force in his home country of Sweden, crushing his opponents in the Swedish Hockey League.

Before entering the NHL, he competed in numerous international events, including the World Juniors in 2018, in which his team took silver.

In addition to this, he represented Sweden at the 2018 IIHF World Championship, in which he and his team took gold.

He is only 20 years old and like many top ranking draft picks, the expectations for him were high, and fortunately, he has not disappointed his team, or his fans.

Despite missing six games in the first month of the season due to a concussion, Elias Pettersson was named rookie of the month in October and December 2018, beating all other first season players by scoring seven goals and gaining 10 points in October alone. An incredible feat.

Fast forward to today, and at the time of writing, Elias Pettersson continues to strongly represent the Vancouver Canucks, achieving 42 points, via 22 goals and 20 assists.

Pettersson Compared to the Greats

After attending a recent Upper Deck Conference we noticed that there was a lot of buzz around Elias Pettersson and as we have just highlighted, for good reason.

He has experienced such a phenomenal start to his rookie year, that he is now being ranked in a very selective class and is being compared to some of the greatest names in the sport.

Some examples that we have heard him being compared to are Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews, two relatively recent additions to the NHL who have proven themselves to be all-star players.

Yet, we can go even further back to Sidney Crosby, Ovechkin and then much further to the great one himself, Wayne Gretzky.

You say the name, and that is how massive the expectations are when it comes to Elias Pettersson.

And before you believe that this is all just nonsense, and pure hype, think again.

Wayne Gretzky personally compared Elias Pettersson to himself, stating the following in a recent Sportsnet interview;

“From my point of view, he’s got a lot of my similarities,” Gretzky said on Sportsnet 650 Monday morning. “His hockey sense and his playmaking ability is as good as anybody right now, and that’s probably where the comparisons come from — much more the playmaking than anything else.”

Wayne Gretzky then went further;

“A guy like Pettersson plays probably more in line with the way Sidney plays or even the way I played in that he’s gotta utilize his eyes and his hockey sense and rely on his instinct and ability on the ice because he’s not a big guy.”

This is a massive compliment to Elias Pettersson, and is even further proof that this young 20 year old is the real deal and will likely one day be ranked as one of the greatest players of all time.

Elias Pettersson Rookie Merchandise is Red Hot!

It comes as no surprise, given the breakout success of Elias Pettersson in his rookie year, to see that much of his early merchandise is being rapidly devoured by hungry fans.

As previously highlighted, the Elias Pettersson rookie card was our number one pick for top Young Gun cards in this years season, and much to our delight, we have thus far been proven correct in that assessment.

This card regularly can be seen selling on eBay, the largest marketplace for collectible singles, for a stunning $150 plus, and that is just for the un-graded version.

If you are lucky enough to score a Beckett 9.5 or 10, then look out, the price skyrockets much higher!

For those who have already pulled an Elias Pettersson rookie card, while cracking open a few packs, and are looking for more,  then rejoice, there are other ways to commemorate this exceptional rookie all-star.

The Limited Edition Elias Pettersson Rookie Commemorative Coin

Zephyr Epic is proud to announce that we are carrying the highly limited edition Elias Pettersson commemorative coin by the Highland Mint.

This silver plated coin was produced in the United States and is of exceptionally high quality.

Limited to a 1000 coin run, this coin is a must have for collectors and fans of Elias Pettersson, or the Vancouver Canucks in general.

Each coin comes in a 100% velour, acrylic storage case and has a letter of authenticity, indicating its number in the coin run. In addition to this, each coin is stamped with that number on its side.

These 39mm coins are officially licensed and are the real deal. And, let’s just say that 40/1000 coin was a highly requested coin!

For a limited time, we’re offering a FREE coin with every purchase that contains a $150+ (before tax) of hockey products and merchandise. We’ve made it super easy on you, so your coin will be automatically added to your shopping cart once your order meets the minimum requirements!

In Conclusion

We have no doubt that the stellar start to Elias Petterssons NHL career is only going to continue to gain traction and momentum as he continues to mature as a player.

We suspect that as we move forward, and as the success of Elias Pettersson continues to grow throughout his career, that demand for his limited edition rookie merchandise is going to continue to only grow.

Regardless, this is a player that we highly enjoy watching and are going to continue to keep our eye on in this season, and many many more to come.

But who do you have your eye on? Which 2018-19 rookie interest you the most and why? Let us know! We’d love to hear.