Sounds like Vancouver Canucks are motivated to trade Pettersson and Boeser
We’ve heard new Vancouver Canucks GM Ryan Johnson talk about the rebuild. But, as always, actions speak louder than words.
Well, there are new rumblings that suggest Johnson is truly willing to tear things down to the studs.
NHL Insider Pierre LeBrun was on Oilers Now, where he was asked about the Canucks’ plans with Elias Pettersson.
“I’ve talked to some teams over the last few days that say he’s definitely available,” LeBrun told host Bob Stauffer. “So is [Brock] Boeser, obviously, so is [Jake] DeBrusk. I mean, the Canucks, they want to tear it all down, continue the rebuild.”
DeBrusk has seemingly been on the trade market for some time, with whispers of other NHL teams being interested in the Jekyll and Hyde winger.
And certainly, the old Canucks management team was willing to trade Pettersson. However, the one big hold-up was the fact that they were unwilling to retain salary.
Elias Pettersson’s fat salary with the Canucks has been a blockade in trade talks. (Bob Frid/Imagn Images)
However, according to LeBrun, that willingness may have shifted under Johnson.
“On Pettersson, jeez, that salary. I mean, the Canucks would have to be willing to retain, which I think they are, which is a huge commitment, by the way, given how many years are left on that deal at north of $11 million a year.”
Back in January, CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal reported that at least one team wanted the Canucks to retain up to $3 million per season on Pettersson. The 27-year-old has six years left on his deal worth $11.6 million per season.
Based on Dhailwal’s report, NHL teams could be asking the Canucks to retain $18 million in total salary,
“I talked to the team today [about Pettersson],” LeBrun continued. “They said, ‘We just don’t know if we can get him back to a certain level, even at a rebate.'”
“The bottom line is yes, the Canucks have talked to teams, and they’re willing to move them, but I just don’t know if they can.”
Boeser was also in the rumour mill heading into the trade deadline. Which, as he noted, is nothing new.
But the fact that Johnson may be willing to retain some of Pettersson’s salary shows that there may be an extra level of motivation to move on from the once-star centre.
Several teams around the NHL are lacking centre depth. And, Pettersson is still a top-six centre, despite his inexplicable fall from grace.
Like Pettersson, Boeser also has six years left on his contract worth $7.5 million per season. Pettersson has a full no-move clause throughout his contract, while Boeser’s full no-move changes to a 15-team no-trade list in the summer of 2029.