The Vancouver Canucks have little to look forward to this season, which has totally slipped out of their hands. An 11-game losing streak and a permanent resident of the Pacific Division catacombs, the Canucks are so far gone that there is no point hiding it any longer.
The team is practically open to trading away most of their players, including Elias Pettersson. The 27-year-old forward has long been at the centre stage of trade rumors, but what is the actual scenario? Donnie & Dhali offer fans some realistic insights into the Pettersson trade situation, and to say that it can leave many shocked is not saying enough.
Vancouver Canucks’ Elias Pettersson May Just Not Waive His No-Movement Clause
The Canucks’ previous season was underwhelming because of injury woes, and this season offered hopes of a resurgence reminiscent of the team’s fiery 2023-24 form. However, in reality, the Canucks couldn’t stray further from that even if they tried.
The Canucks have finally arrived at a point where they are no longer unsure about a rebuild. The news is out: a rebuild is underway in Vancouver. Meanwhile, the team has lost Quinn Hughes and Kiefer Sherwood, and could part ways with more players, including Pettersson.
However, Pettersson comes with a hefty contract that could deter many teams: he is in the second year of an eight-year, $92.8 million deal with the Canucks. Pettersson’s contract has an average annual value of $11.6 million. To live up to the expectations that such a contract invariably brings is far from easy, and Pettersson hasn’t been able to do that quite well lately.
The forward’s numbers have taken a clear dip, which may further dissuade potential suitors from pursuing him seriously. Teams have been enquiring about Pettersson, but the enquiries are just not as serious as you would want them to be. Moreover, there is enough room for debate about whether Pettersson will waive his no-movement clause.
“Teams are enquiring. Some teams don’t think he’ll waive his no-move. As of yesterday, the Canucks have not contacted his agents about waiving. They have not. Because you know why? The discussions have not been serious enough to call the agents,” Rick Dhaliwal stated on the podcast.
For how one would expect Pettersson trade discussions to be, they have been quite underwhelming, and it is no secret that it is because of his mammoth contract. For the kind of numbers Pettersson has put up over the last couple of seasons, teams ought to think hard and long before making a serious move.
“But right now, it’s just a feeling out process with teams calling Vancouver on Pettersson and just saying, ‘hey, you know, this guy’s underachieved. He’s got an $11.6 million cap.'”
If the Canucks are serious about trading Pettersson, the contract they willingly signed him to could emerge as the biggest impediment.
