Are Penguins a potential Elias Pettersson trade partner for Canucks?
When the puck drops next season, where will Elias Pettersson be playing?
It may well be Vancouver, but it does seem like the Canucks would like to trade him. They’re reportedly “motivated” to move him.
Culture is seemingly a primary focus of the new Canucks management team, and I believe Daniel Sedin’s comments in May about the 27-year-old centre were telling.
“We’ve been through this, as players, exactly what he’s been through,” Sedin said. “You’re going to have some really good seasons, you’re going to have some tougher seasons.
“What we found after a long career, looking back, is that the best seasons we had, we were well prepared… That is everything you can control, is how hard you work in the summer. Mentally ready to go when training camp hits. So I think that’s the one message to him, is preparation.”
Are the Sedins willing to give Pettersson another chance? (Rob Williams/Daily Hive)
The Sedins were famously always the most well-conditioned players on their teams, so you could understand if coming to camp out of shape would irk them. And can you change the culture with your highest-paid player not being willing to put in the work?
Canucks management wanting to trade Pettersson is just one piece of the puzzle here, though. Pettersson has a full no-movement clause in his contract, and would have to waive it for a trade to go through.
Then there’s the problem of his contract. Pettersson has five years left on a deal that pays him $11.6 million a year. That’s quickly becoming less of a problem, though. With the salary cap going up, player salaries are beginning to skyrocket.
The Los Angeles Kings seemed like a natural landing spot for Pettersson, after the retirement of Anze Kopitar. But they’ve already spent their money in free agency, so they’d have to move out money to fit Pettersson in.
The Carolina Hurricanes had interest in Pettersson in the past, but how motivated will they be to acquire him now, after winning the Stanley Cup? They seem set up the middle with Sebastian Aho, Logan Stankoven, and Jordan Staal.
How about the Pittsburgh Penguins?
It’s not a team that many have brought up before, but the Penguins were a team that Elliotte Friedman openly “wondered about” on Monday’s edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast.
“I wonder if the Penguins with Crosby and Malkin might be good for him,” Friedman said.
Crosby and Malkin are each entering the final years of their respective contracts, so retirement might not be far away. If Pettersson figures it out in Pittsburgh, they might just have an immediate succession plan at centre.
Pittsburgh was the surprise team of the NHL last season. They entered the season as a rebuilding team, but ended up making the playoffs with a young team, surrounded by key veterans.
Will these two be reunited in Pittsburgh? (Bob Frid/USA TODAY Sports)
Andrei Kuzmenko also plays for the Penguins now, after signing with them in free agency. The 30-year-old Russian showed great chemistry with Pettersson during their one-and-a-half seasons together. Pettersson’s 102-point season came with Kuzmenko on his wing.
The Pens also have over $16 million in cap space.
Time will tell if the Penguins are willing to give up significant future assets for Pettersson, and if he’d be willing to waive his no-movement clause to move to Pittsburgh.
But it does seem like there’s a good chance he gets traded somewhere.
“I think it has to happen. I do,” said Friedman. “But he’s got say in this.”