Elias Pettersson is back in the spotlight, with the Vancouver Canucks reportedly listening to trade offers for the Swedish center this offseason, according to The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta.
Pettersson, 26, had a tough year, scoring just 15 goals and 30 assists for 45 points in 64 games — a significant drop from the 89 points he put up last season.
A reported feud with forward J.T. Miller, along with injuries to key players like captain Quinn Hughes and goalie Thatcher Demko, disrupted the Canucks’ season and kept them out of the playoffs.
NHL Insider on Whether Elias Pettersson Could Be Moved
Pagnotta said that with Pettersson’s no-movement clause set to kick in on July 1, the Canucks are taking calls from teams interested in a deal. The price tag, though, is still high.
“I am curious to see if the Sabres circle back on Elias Pettersson in Vancouver,” Pagnotta said. “It does not sound like the price tag has changed much, if at all, so a team will have to pay up to pry him out of B.C. Do the Sabres take another swing? They surely won’t be the lone team to try.”
ICYMI, from yesterday, lots of nuggets from across the league ⬇️⬇️ https://t.co/hmgtwvd91e
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) May 31, 2025
The Buffalo Sabres, valued at $1.1 billion in 2024, are trying to snap a 14-year playoff drought and continue rebuilding their roster.
Pagnotta also noted the Canucks could face more big changes this offseason. Goalie Thatcher Demko is heading into the final year of his deal, which carries a $5 million cap hit and no trade protection. Reports say he’s open to a move. Demko, a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2023-24, has dealt with injuries this year but is already training for next season.
There’s also been plenty of speculation around team captain Quinn Hughes, who won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman in 2024.
On May 2, Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford appeared on the “100% Hockey with Millard & Shannon” podcast and discussed Hughes, whose contract runs through 2027.
“He’s a wonderful person and a great player, but we do control him for two more years,” Rutherford said via The Hockey News. “If we get to that trade deadline two years from now, and it looks like he doesn’t want to stay, then we would have to do something at that point.”
Rick Tocchet’s refusal to sign a new deal with Vancouver could also be a sign that Hughes is on his way out. NHL insiders noted that Hughes was one of the last people to speak with Tocchet before he left the Canucks organization in April.
Trade the Dallas coach and you will solve a whole lot of problems. Maybe Dallas just needs a coaching change