The news out of Denmark isn’t good for Elias Pettersson, who has been confined to his hotel room with the flu. He’ll miss Wednesday’s World Hockey Championship game against Austria, with the Los Angeles Kings’ Adrian Kempe taking his spot on the second line and second power play unit.
It’s a tough break for Pettersson, who just tallied his first two points of the tournament against France and seemed to be settling in after a shaky start. On the plus side, his game worn Växjö Lakers jersey just sold for a whole bunch of money.
The Lakers hold an annual auction of game worn jerseys to benefit their youth development program. It’s a chance for Lakers fans to support their team while also getting a great piece of memorabilia.
This year’s auction shattered the Lakers previous record for the most money raised and it was largely thanks to the Canucks’ top prospect, Elias Pettersson.
The previous record came from the 2014-15 season, which was the last time the Lakers won the SHL championship. That year, they raised 164,998 Swedish Kronor (SEK), which is a little over $23,000 Canadian (CAD). This year’s auction raised 251,774 SEK from the jerseys alone (they also sold canvas prints), which comes out to $37,166 CAD.
The biggest money-raiser by far was Pettersson’s jersey, which sold for a whopping 50,100 SEK, which comes to $7393.73 CAD at current exchange rates.
That’s a pretty hefty price for a game worn jersey, but it’s understandable for a Lakers fan to want a piece of Swedish hockey history. Pettersson broke Kent Nilsson’s 40-year-old record for SHL points from a junior-aged player, won Rookie of the Year, Best Forward, and SHL MVP, and led the Lakers to the SHL Championship, getting named Playoff MVP in the process.
That’s the type of season you want to commemorate. If it’s within your means to spend $7400 to do so and simultaneously support the youth development program of the team you love, why not?
It also makes a lot of sense because it might be the only chance you have to get such a jersey. Pettersson seems primed to make the jump to North America next season, so there might not be any more game worn Växjö Lakers jerseys in the future.
The next highest seller also has a Canucks connection. Daniel Rahimi, who the Canucks drafted in the third round back in 2006, saw his jersey sell for 16,200 SEK, which comes to $2391.45 CAD. That seems a little crazier to me, but apparently the big defensive defenceman is quite popular in Växjö.
Meanwhile, before Pettersson was confined to quarters in Denmark, he expressed his frustration with the constant questions about his weight.
"There are many NHL players who weigh as much as I do, why would not I be able to play there," said Pettersson, and he's not wrong. Just look at the NHL playoffs, where Brayden Point is a point-per-game at 166 lbs and Artemi Panarin was the Blue Jackets' best player at 168 lbs.
"I've been told this my whole life," he added. "I don't care, I use it as a carrot to show that those who doubt me are wrong."
He also had some strong words for reporters that obsess over his weight.
"Some reporters are unsightly," he said. "Stupid questions get stupid answers."
