Emil Pettersson

Emil Pettersson (born on January 14, 1994 in Sundsvall) is a Swedish professional ice hockey center. He is currently playing with the Växjö Lakers HC of the SHL. Pettersson was selected by the Nashville Predators in the 6th round, 155th overall of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Emil's brother Elias was drafted fifth overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

Club career
Pettersson began playing junior hockey with the Ånge IK organisation. In 2009, he moved to the Timrå IK organisation.

Pettersson made his senior debut playing 2 regular season games and 2 Kvalserien SHL games with the Timrå IK of the Elitserien during the 2012-13 Elitserien season. Timrå IK was relegated into the HockeyAllsvenskan for the next season. In the same season, Pettersson also played 44 regular season games and 2 play-off games with the Timrå IK under-20 team.

In his last junior season, the 2013-14 season, Pettersson played 12 regular season games and 2 play-off games with the junior team of the Timrå IK and 44 games with the Timrå IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan.

He also began the 2014-15 season with the Timrå IK of the HockeyAllsvenskan. He played there another 52 games before moving to the MODO Hockey of the SHL (formerly Elitserien) for the end of the season in which he played 2 regular season games and 4 relegation games with the MODO Hockey.

He continued with the MODO Hockey of the SHL in the 2015-16 season.

In the 2016–17 season, having signed with Skellefteå AIK of the SHL, Pettersson played in 24 games before he was transferred mid-season to join his fourth SHL club, the Växjö Lakers HC, on December 7, 2016. Pettersson quickly adapted with the Lakers, completing the season with 26 points in 27 regular season games and adding another 7 points in 6 play-off games.

On May 9, 2017, Pettersson agreed to a two-year entry-level contract with the Nashville Predators organisation. He joined the Predators' AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals for the 2017-18 season. During the season, Pettersson and teammate Anders Lindbäck were named to the 2018 AHL All-Star Game. In playing the full year with the Admirals, Pettersson led the team in scoring with 33 assists and 46 points in 72 regular season games.

In the following 2018-19 season, Pettersson continued to lead the Admirals offense, compiling 33 points in 49 games before he was traded by the Predators to the Arizona Coyotes organisation in exchange for Laurent Dauphin and Adam Helewka on February 8, 2019. He was immediately assigned to continue in the AHL with Coyotes' affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners. He finished there the season with 5 points scored in 12 games.

Having completed his two-year entry-level contract in North America, and playing exclusively in the AHL, Pettersson left as an impending restricted free agent from the Coyotes. On June 13, 2019, he agreed to a two-year contract to return to Sweden with former club, the Växjö Lakers HC of the SHL.

Personal life
Pettersson is of Finnish descent through his paternal grandfather, born Toivo Jokelainen, who was sent to Sweden in 1941 as a Finnish war child.