The Vancouver Canucks could look to trade Elias Pettersson, Conor Garland, or both before Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
Both potential forward trades have the same problem, though.
Pettersson is under contract through the 2031-32 season.
Garland is also under contract through the 2031-32 season.
The Canucks signed both to long-term deals, but this season, they’ve pivoted toward potentially trying to rebuild the roster.
Pettersson has a cap hit of $11.6 million going forward, quite pricey for a guy who hasn’t really improved.
“He has played at a higher level than last season, when his name first circulated in trade rumors, but remains a long way off the performer he was when Vancouver signed him to a $92.8 million, eight-year extension in March 2024,” The Athletic’s Chris Johnston writes. “That obviously affects his trade value. However, the fact Pettersson has previously been an elite offensive play-driver makes him an enticing proposition for some, especially since the price tag to land him shouldn’t be too steep. The biggest concern for the Canucks in considering a Pettersson trade is the fact that he may blossom again in a new environment.”
MORE: Maple Leafs getting help from Flyers to trade veteran center
Garland’s cap hit is $6 million, also not easy for a guy under contract for that much longer.
“Garland signed a six-year extension with the Canucks last summer, but he has since seen the team pivot to a rebuild,” Johnston writes. “He is a strong skater who is unafraid to skate through opponents despite his diminutive size. More of a playmaker than a goal-scorer, he’s an excellent complementary piece who can be counted on to produce at a 50-point pace. Teams are interested in the player, but moving this kind of contract might be better tackled in the offseason.”
Vancouver’s decision-making this week will tell the hockey world at least a bit about how the Canucks feel about these long-term investments.
They aren’t bad players to have around for the long run. Given the heftiness of the contracts, the Canucks may not end up with much choice but to keep them.
