After months of preparation, defenceman Elias Pettersson is back on North American ice and is eager to showcase his development.

With a renewed sense of confidence following an intensive summer training program, Pettersson is focused on refining every aspect of his game at the Young Stars Classic. Every day is a steppingstone to training camp and the upcoming season.

“This is what all of us have been waiting on to play games and it was just so fun to play again and I’m really excited for the upcoming games,” Pettersson said.

His first game back at the Young Stars Classic, he was paired with Kirill Kudryavtsev in the Canucks’ 2-0 win over Edmonton, and he liked what they were able to do on the ice together.

“I think we complemented each other really great out there and I think we solved a lot of situations together and it was fun,” he said.

It’s a busy few days, even on their off day on Saturday they had practice working on systems followed by a gym workout session to keep them ready for games the rest of the weekend.

“It was a good practice; I think it’s good to have those practices when you don’t play games,” he said. “There’s lots of information those few days here and it’s a lot to take in, and I think just great information.”

The Swedish blue-liner is focusing on playing his game throughout this weekend and improving every facet of it to help get him ready for training camp.

“The first game felt pretty good, but I’ve got to step it up for the next game and be better,” he said.

He’s seeing the benefits of his summer training now that he’s back in North American rinks and playing against other top prospects.

He played eight games with Abbotsford last season and got a small sample size of playing on the North American rink. Over the summer he worked on shooting, puck skills, physicality, but an area he highlighted was his speed and quickness which will help him in tight areas.

“It was really good, I was working really much with my speed and ability to get from point A to point B as quick as I can and just trying to keep building my strength as well,” Pettersson explained. “I worked to get better at everything else but those are the things I worked a little bit more with.”

As Pettersson continues to compete at the Young Stars Classic, he’s dedicated to improving every shift and building momentum ahead of training camp.

With a productive offseason behind him and a clear path forward, the 20-year-old defenceman is embracing the opportunities ahead, ready to make his mark on the ice as the season approaches.