Note: Need a break from the chaos of the day? How about a hockey story about a young man who is dedicated to his craft and to his DU teammates.  

Lots of hockey players talk about loving the game. Then there is Denver sophomore Emilio Pettersen.

To say he’s dedicated most of his waking moments to the sport isn’t overstating things.

Consider his youth.

“I lived about 3 minutes from the rink and school,” Pettersen said. “The interest in hockey wasn’t huge for everyone but for me it was always. I always took it seriously.

“When I switched teams the rink was 20 minutes away. I would get up, go to school, practice, go back to school, practice after school, work out and then go to bed. Every day that’s just how it worked. There was no other thing on my mind than hockey.”

You could say he came by this naturally. His father Flemming played professionally in Norway for Manglerud for many years. His mother Therese played land hockey (a variation of field hockey). They supported their son’s dream of going as far as the game would take him.

The call of the game

The first place was the United States, where at 14 Pettersen moved from his supportive family to go to school and play travel hockey in South Kent, Conn. Two years later, he was playing junior hockey in the USHL, first at Omaha, then Muskegon, for two seasons.

He was not many months into 18 when he started his DU career in 2018, shortly after the Calgary Flames made him a sixth-round draft pick (167th overall). (The Flames signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract on April 27.)

Pettersen was able to contribute right away at DU because of what might best be described as his hyper drive.

“We always joke about it. His energy is unreal,” said fellow sophomore Cole Guttman, who often has centered a line with Pettersen during the tag team’s first two seasons together. “When he brings that to practice guys follow.”

This is not a new development, Pettersen said.

“Since I was little I’ve had that in me,” he said. “I always felt that if you don’t give 100 percent you’re not giving your all. I’ve always wanted to give it my all, and my game revolves around that.”

Stat sheet superpower

The Pioneers, who ended the season ranked No. 6 (but had it continued likely would have hosted an NCAA Regional this weekend in Loveland), have been the beneficiaries. Pettersen, now 19, led the team in points (35 in 36 games) and has been among their goal-scoring leaders (13).

The latter stat was unthinkable last season, when Pettersen lit the lamp just once in his final 28 games, a stretch spanning from Dec. 7, 2018 forward.

In all he had 30 points, 24 of them assists, and finished second to Liam Finlay in scoring. Not bad, but Pettersen knew there was more in the tank.

This season, he became a consistent point-per-game scorer. And by consistent I mean he dented the stat sheet far more often than not. He had points in 25 of 36 games (69 percent) after scoring in 22 of 40 games last season (55 percent).

More impressively, Pettersen went more than one game without a point just twice – each time two games – all season long. That would be outstanding in a beer league much less Division I hockey. For good measure, he added clutch goals as well, notching four game-winners after not having one last season.

DU coach David Carle said Pettersen’s engine and his production go hand-in-hand.

“It’s his competitive spirit,” Carle said. “I think he’s got a high work rate. He’s got high standards for himself. Any time he hits any adversity, that couples with a lot of self-confidence which allows him to put a game, or a shift or a period quickly in the rear-view mirror. I think he reverts back to being real confident right away. At this level confidence has a lot to do with it at this level.

“Emilio is so sharp with his details off the ice that allow him to prepare the right way, which allows him to be confident and be a consistent player.

“He’s a hockey junkie. He lives and breathes it through and through so it wasn’t a surprise (he’s improved).”

Making gains

Pettersen determined to work on his shot, which was bad news for the rest of college hockey. His shots per game went from 1.95 to 2.86 during 2019-20, and his accuracy improved from 7.7 percent to 12.6 percent.

“It was a goal for me. I wanted to shoot the puck more, get more goals. Be a more dangerous player,” he said. “Especially after Christmas I’ve kind of cracked that code of putting the puck in the net. Not just shoot the puck blindly, but pick your spots. Have a purpose on every shot.”

Carle said there have been other areas of growth in Pettersen’s game besides giving red lights a workout.

“The biggest thing for him we’ve seen improvement in is his puck pressure game,” the coach said. “He’s not guessing or cheating. He’s going in straight lines and being disruptive on the forecheck.

“With the puck there were times in his first year and even this year when there’s a lot of fakes and high-risks plays. There’s not many plays he can’t make, but he’s doing a better job of letting the game come to him. He’s possessing the puck more. It’s allowing him to make those same plays at a more efficient rate. We’re converting on more of his high-end plays because they’re not happening has often.”

Pettersen spent much of the season working on a wing with junior Kohen Olischefski (who has a career-high 20 points) on the opposite side and either Guttman (who has 14 goals for the second season in a row) or senior Tyson McLellan in the middle.

“We have different guys on our team who drive lines with the puck on their stick, and I think Emilio is one of them,” Carle said. “He needs to be a guy who’s with Olischefski, who’s a dog on a bone on the forecheck and helps create turnovers so Emilio can get the puck back on his stick. And a center like Guttman or McLellan, who have really good releases. Those are guys we’ve found some consistency with.”

Pettersen also hates to lose, and he’s not shy about pumping up the volume if he thinks the Pioneers need an energy boost.

“”He’s very vocal,” Guttman said. “He’s an intense guy, and it comes out during games.

“He can have that laser focus to him but he’s a really goofy guy as well. There are two sides to him.”

Staying in drive

But one thing has remained consistent, Pettersen’s unceasing drive.

“I never wanted to give up the opportunity to go as far as I could,” the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder said. “Now that the NHL is a goal, I want to do whatever I can to get there.

“I’ve always thought I’m going to establish myself on this level then I want to make it to the next level. Now that I’m at the college level I want to make myself ready for the next step. … The love for the game has always been there. I’ve never even thought of going home. The drive has pushed me to get to where I am today.”

Though it’s not believed he will sign with Calgary until after his junior season, one has to wonder if based upon Pettersen’s demonstrable improvement if the Flames will take a closer look at one of the engines that drove Denver to its 19th season in a row of 20 or more victories.

©First Line Editorial 2020