The talk about the Vancouver Canucks trading Elias Pettersson, more specifically his contract, has become something akin to a soap opera.
However, the club could have ended all of the chatter at the 2026 NHL Draft had a purported trade gone through.
According to Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal, the organization could have had a deal in place. But it ended up falling through because of an all-too-familiar reason.
“They tried at the draft, teams called, but it’s a tough, tough contract to move.”
Dhaliwal didn’t go into the specifics of the team(s) involved, but alluded to a potential deal being there. The sticking point was Pettersson’s contract.
Presumably, the Canucks would have had to retain some of that $11.6 million cap hit. Vancouver is reluctant to do so, and, well, the status quo remains.
As for the potential interested parties, it would have to be teams looking for a center. The LA Kings, Detroit Red Wings, and even New York Rangers are all teams looking for a playmaking center. The Kings seem like the most evident fit, given Anze Kopitar’s retirement.
However, it’s really tough to ascertain which teams would have been seriously interested, as that much cap space isn’t easy to come by.
Things Could Change Once Season Begins
It’s worth keeping in mind that things could change once the season begins. Injuries are the most immediate reason why a team might circle back to Pettersson and the Canucks. A massive loss could prompt a team to use LTIR money to offset Pettersson’s cap hit.
Also, there’s the possibility that a major star player decides to re-sign with his current organization. In that case, a team out there might pivot and look for alternatives amid shifting plans.
Those are all suppositions, of course. Since there are far too many variables in play, it’s tough to forecast if a trade could even be a possibility.
That’s why this question mark will hang over the Canucks as the season begins.
What to read next:
Could Pettersson Become a Distraction for Canucks?
One of the questions that hasn’t really been discussed is if Pettersson’s trade situation could become a distraction for the team heading into the season.
On the surface, it would make complete sense to assume that it would. The endless trade chatter has to eventually weigh on the team and player. It would actually be surprising to think that the ongoing talk wouldn’t become a distraction.
With that in mind, the Canucks will have to do something. The organization will have to either trade Pettersson or publicly shut down any talk regarding the situation.
Doing so seems easier said than done. But a point will have to come at which the organization has to end the speculation once and for all.
In the meantime, fans will have to keep an eye open for the latest turn of the rumor mill. The club seems set on trading Pettersson. So, as training camp draws closer, there could be a willingness to make the deal happen.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Canucks May Have Had Pettersson Deal — But It Fell Apart appeared first on HEAVY.