Photo credit: Bob Frid – Imagn Images.
The Vancouver Canucks could get a big return for Elias Pettersson leading up to the trade deadline, if they’re willing to make a tough decision regarding his salary.
After trading away Quinn Hughes to Minnesota last month and Kiefer Sherwood to San Jose on Monday, the Vancouver Canucks are pondering what their next move may look like and who will be the next player moved as the rebuild continues.
“There’s a growing suspicion around the league that we will. I can just tell you from the volume of calls and the interest that the Vancouver Canucks have fielded that it feels like it’s trending in that direction and that he’s gaining some traction on the trade market.” Seravalli said on Monday’s edition of Frankly Hockey.
Vancouver Canucks may need to retain salary to maximize return on Elias Pettersson
With reports suggesting that numerous teams have called General Manager Patrik Allvin to inquire about Elias Pettersson, the Vancouver Canucks will likely have to mull over several different offers for the former fifth overall pick in the weeks ahead.
In a recent article for NHLTradeRumor.com, Rob Ellis says that the Vancouver Canucks might have to retain salary on Elias Pettersson’s contract to maximize the return they could get, comparing the situation to Rasmus Andersson, who was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday.
“If the Canucks are serious about moving Pettersson to retool their roster, the Andersson deal is the blueprint. By retaining 50%, Calgary essentially turned a «good» trade return into an «excellent» one.” Ellis said.
While it’s understandable that retaining salary in almost any trade will net you a bigger return, using the Rasmus Andersson deal between Calgary and Vegas isn’t the greatest comparison given the Swedish blueliner is on an expiring deal.
If the Vancouver Canucks were to follow a similar path there, it would mean that they’d still be on the hook for $5.8 million of Elias Pettersson’s annual salary for the next six seasons following the 2025-26 campaign, something that isn’t really ideal for club.
Again, the Canucks aren’t in a rush to trade Elias Pettersson and they can hold off until the summer for better offers and when teams get a better idea on what their cap situation looks like, and what the league’s salary cap will be set at for the 2026-27 season.
Previously on Vancouver Hockey Daily
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Vancouver Canucks projected to get ridiculous return for Elias Pettersson before the the NHL trade deadline
Do you think the Vancouver Canucks will need to retain some of Elias Pettersson’s salary to get a big return?