The Vancouver Canucks have fallen from a Stanley Cup threat to arguably the worst team in the National Hockey League in the span of three years, and after finishing 32nd in the standings a year ago, the future looks bleak for this once promising squad.
Already the team have moved former captain Quinn Hughes, and with speculation around the likes of Jake DeBrusk, Brock Boeser and Filip Hronek, more changes could be coming over the next 12 months. However, the biggest name in Vancouver remains Elias Pettersson, and in recent days, it has been speculated that he could be on the way out, with many linking him to the Pittsburgh Penguins among other teams.
Elias Pettersson has not yet Been Asked to Waive NMC
GettyElias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks.
While he signed a long-term deal with the Canucks in March of 2024, Elias Pettersson has taken a step back in each season since, and now, he looks to be a shell of the player that once scored 102 points with the team back in 2022/23. Now, with the team heading downhill in a hurry, the speculation has picked up around the star center, so much so that many in Vancouver and around the NHL expect him to be on a different team when the 2026/27 regular season officially begins.
However, nothing is imminent on that front, as Canucks reporter Rick Dhaliwal has confirmed that as of right now, Pettersson has not been asked to waive his no-movement clause, signalling that trade talks are yet to get to the point where a deal could be reached with any team.
Will Elias Pettersson be Traded This Off-Season?
In 2025/26, Pettersson posted 51 points on the back of 45 a year ago, and after putting up 102 and 89 across the 2022/23 and 2023/24 season, it’s easy to see why the front office is frustrated after he signed a long-term deal that carries an average annual value of $11.6 million. Unfortunately, his lack of production also means that rival teams will not be lining up to give up major assets and take on that entire deal, but with center’s now reaching max value following the rise of the salary cap, the belief is that Vancouver can get a solid asset in return.
This off-season, we’ve already seen a team take on Darnell Nurse’s contract, and if that’s the case, Pettersson, who is a much better player at a higher value position could be dealt in the coming weeks, and for teams desperate to land that 1C, he could be a much easier acquisition than trying to land a young star of the future.
Ultimately, the belief around the NHL is that it’s a matter of when, not if Pettersson is traded, whether that be over the summer or ahead of the trade deadline in early 2027, but as of right now, there’s no indication that a move involving EP40 is going to get done in the coming days, although it takes just one phone call to change things in Vancouver.
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