Elias Pettersson has been mentioned in the trade discussions as the Vancouver Canucks continue to struggle this season. With a 16-21-5 record, they are fighting to stay in contention, but if we look at the mid season standings, their possibility is slipping away with each loss. In their last seven games, they have lost six and won just one.
Amid their struggles, Daily Faceoff insider Matt Larkin has listed Pettersson as a future blockbuster trade candidate. He placed him in a tier labeled ‘Big Names’, but too soon to move.
Larkin wrote that some teams have checked on Pettersson’s status, who is signed on an eight-year, $92.8 million contract. However, he mentioned that an in-season trade would be very difficult.
“Some reports of teams kicking the tires on him, but it simply isn’t easy to execute an in-season trade for someone with a full NMC and six more seasons at an $11.6-million AAV. Maybe a summer blockbuster to pursue?” Larkin wrote in his column.
Now, considering Pettersson’s $11.6 million annual average salary, he has underperformed for the last two seasons. In the 2024-25 season, he recorded only 45 points in 64 games. And it’s evident that his shot volume dropped, and his pace has slowed in comparison to his 102-point season in the 2022-23.
The Canucks entered the 2025-26 season with hopes to bounce back after last year’s struggles, but those hopes faded early due to poor results. Vancouver has once again failed to find consistency, due to defensive mistakes, a weak penalty kill, and the trade of their captain, Quinn Hughes. The team is also struggling to control games at even strength. They allow 3.50 goals per game, while their offense ranks near the bottom of the league.
Canucks coach talked about the loss to the Sabres
The Vancouver Canucks lost 5-3 to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night, after failing to score in the first two periods. The Sabres dominated the first two periods, scoring three goals, starting with Tage Thompson. Ryan McLeod made it 2-0, and Alex Tuch then scored in the second period to extend the lead to 3-0.
Speaking to the media after the game, Canucks coach Adam Foote said,
“We started OK, and then when the two [goals] went in, I’d like to see us calm down a little bit… rather than let it linger, like it did. Usually, we’re better about that.”
Even in the third period, the Sabres easily extended their lead to 4-0 with Zach Metsa’s goal. It was then that Vancouver scored three back-to-back goals from Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson, and Liam Ohgren.
However, Josh Doan ended the Canucks’ comeback with an empty-net goal.
Edited by Ankit Kumar