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Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks.

The Vancouver Canucks once had a balanced roster full of stars, and in 2023/24, it appeared as though they were set to be a contender in the Pacific Division for years to come. However, from there things fell apart, with the team since moving the likes of Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller and Keifer Sherwood among others, as they would go on to finish the 2025/26 campaign ranked 32nd in the National Hockey League.

While the team still have a few good veterans, it’s clear that their outlook is one of the worst in the who league, but with those veterans comes the potential opportunity to get some future assets in return.

Elias Pettersson Drawing Trade Interest Around the NHL

GettyElias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks.

The most talked about player in Vancouver for quite some time has been veteran center Elias Pettersson, and given his immense struggles in recent times, there’s no surprise that he’s talked about as a potential trade candidate. Back in 2022/23, Pettersson posted a career high 39 goals and 102 points, and from there, many expected him to carry on to become a superstar of the league.

However, he’s done nothing but regress since then, and with just 99 points over his past 138 games played, it’s very hard to justify the $11.6 million price tag. That’s led to some trade speculation over the past two seasons, and according to Canucks reporter Rick Dhaliwal, the team are starting to garner plenty of interest in EP40 ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft.

“Lot’s of chatter that teams are calling about Elias Pettersson,” Dhaliwal said.

Will the Canucks Finally Deal Elias Pettersson?

This is nothing new for the Canucks, as Pettersson has been featured in trade rumors heavily in recent years, dating back to the very public feud with J.T. Miller in 2024/25. Eventually, Vancouver decided to trade Miller back to the New York Rangers, and while that helped Pettersson’s game, it’s clear that he’s not someone they will want around long-term through this rebuild.

While the price tag is hefty, the Canucks could potentially retain on the 27-year-old, and if a contending team could add him for $8-9 million per season instead of almost $12 million, it’s safe to say that his production starts to look much better. Sure, the return likely isn’t going to be anything spectacular for Vancouver, but given the outlook on their future, parting ways with Pettersson would likely be in the best interest of the team and the player.

Thankfully for the Canucks, there are contending teams out there in need of top-line centers, and while Pettersson may not have become a superstar in Vancouver, with a change of scenery, we may see him rise to his very best at the NHL level. Ultimately, there’s a good chance that no deal gets done for EP40 this off-season, but with the Canucks likely to struggle for a few years and Pettersson’s play taking a dip over the past few years, a trade ahead of the NHL Draft would be the best move for everyone involved.