Welcome to a Sunday edition of NHL Rumours! We are inching closer and closer to the Trade Deadline on March 7th. As we get closer to that franchise-altering day, we will continue to analyze rumours that surface. Our rumour today looks at the Vancouver Canucks, who are exploring trades for their 100-point player.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Vancouver Canucks Exploring Trades for 100-Point Player
Rumour: The Athletic’s Chris Johnston released the third edition of his Big Trade Board. The first player listed is Canucks forward Elias Pettersson.
Analysis: Pettersson is in his seventh year in the NHL. He started his career with a bang in the 2018-19 season. In 71 games, Pettersson scored 28 goals and recorded 66 points. His success earned him the Calder Trophy for the league’s top rookie. In the 2022-23 season, Pettersson recorded a career-high 102 points. This past March, Pettersson received an eight-year contract extension. However, the Canucks are now seeking trades to send Pettersson to a new team.
Reason for Pettersson Trade Rumour
At first glance, this Pettersson trade rumour makes no sense at all. The Canucks are not a rebuilding, or even a retooling team. Furthermore, the Canucks currently hold the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They are coming off a first-round playoff win last season. Why would the Canucks trade their best player?
Well, as Johnston mentions in his article, the answer is a tad complicated. The reason for this Pettersson trade rumour has little to do with the Canucks goals. Johnston mentions that the salary cap is surging and a new collective bargaining agreement is coming soon. The connection between these two things and the Pettersson trade rumour is not elaborated on by Johnston. However, we can assume that there is a connection that is leading the Canucks to explore possible trades. We do know that the salary cap does make things difficult for teams, so we understand why the Canucks may want to try and adjust.
Pettersson’s contract is another factor. Starting with the contract, a no-movement clause kicks in on July 1. As a result, it would be harder to move Pettersson at that point. The Canucks have a window to trade Pettersson and his $92.8 million contract without needing his approval.
Lastly, Pettersson has not had a great season following his extension. He did miss time with an injury and he just recently returned earlier this month. However, he has just 29 points in 36 games, including just 10 goals. Even with time missed, this is a big decline from an 89-point season a year ago. Is he feeling pressured by the new contract? Is his injury hindering him? We do not know, but his play has dropped significantly in less than a year.
Canucks Should Demand a Haul
The Canucks should be demanding a haul if they are going to trade Pettersson. Players with 100-point seasons do not get traded often. This is a generational talent the Canucks might be moving. They need to be asking for a king’s ransom. First-round picks and prospects should be involved. We are not going to try and predict a trade, as we do not know which teams are interested, and even if we did, trying to predict a trade is very difficult to nearly impossible.
The good news for the Canucks is since trading a 100-point player is so rare, teams should be willing to put together the right package. This is especially true considering Pettersson is under contract long term. This is not like rental trades, like last year’s Jake Guentzel trade for example, where the buying team only has said player for the remainder of the season and playoffs. The team who acquires Pettersson, if a team does, will have him for many seasons.
Will It Happen?
Canucks fans will not like reading this, but the writing seems to be on the wall. The Canucks have reasons to move Pettersson. Moving their best player despite not being in a retool or a rebuild will be a tough pill to swallow for Canucks fans, but it is something that may be inevitable.
The supposed drama with J.T. Miller also isn’t helping and has added a lot of background noise. Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin may have no choice but to send the Swede elsewhere.
Main photo by: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The post NHL Rumours: Vancouver Canucks Exploring Trades for 100-Point Player appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.