It might seem crazy, but we are moving into a world where Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson might have meaningful trade value. Not just a bit of value, but potentially a decent amount if he keeps producing at the rate he has through 14 games this year.
So far this year, the 27-year-old has notched four goals and 11 assists and is starting to look more like the player who signed an eight-year, $92.8MM contract extension in March 2024. That deal, which included $47MM in signing bonuses, looked unmovable and buyout-proof just 12 months ago, but with his hot start and an exploding salary cap, Pettersson could become a bit of a bargain.
Now, 14 games at a point-per-game pace doesn’t automatically make Pettersson a Hart Trophy contender or even a top 25 scorer in the NHL. But if he can return to a 70+ point pace, he and his contract could have value in the new NHL economy, where some players are getting deals north of $20MM annually.
If it seems crazy, that’s because it is. This past summer rewrote the NHL salary landscape, and it appears player salaries could keep trending upward.
However, that’s not certain, which could create urgency for the Canucks to trade Pettersson if/when he has value. Yet teams could remain hesitant to make the move for Pettersson given his track record over the last few years.
Teams could also proceed with caution because there are cautionary tales of teams acquiring players who had righted their play after a long track record of inconsistency, only to get the old, inconsistent version of the player rather than the improved one. Goaltender Tristan Jarry is a great example.
After posting reasonable stats to start the 2025-26 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Oilers quickly traded for him, and his play fell off a cliff to the point where he is almost unplayable.
That’s not to say the same would happen to Pettersson, but you don’t have to look far back to see his inconsistency. Last season, the Sundsvall, Sweden, native had 15 goals and 36 assists in 74 games.
The year prior, he had 15 goals and 30 assists in 64 games. Those aren’t the numbers you would expect from an $11.6MM player, even in the new NHL economy.
Teams will likely remember Pettersson’s run of poor production. If Vancouver wants to get value from a trade, they may need to wait until later in the season.
The good news for Pettersson and the Canucks is that his production isn’t a fluke. He’s posting these numbers even though some of his fancy stats are lagging, particularly at five-on-five.
Pettersson is no longer the shot-generating possession monster he was three or four years ago, but if he were moved to a contending team, he wouldn’t need to be, especially if the acquiring team has puck-carrying forwards as well. Given his age, Pettersson isn’t likely to regain his speed, nor is he likely to return to being an elite puck carrier and shot generator.
He still has a skill set that matters in the NHL, and teams will line up for him if he can sustain this production for 50 or 60 games this year.
Now, a major caveat: we’ve seen this movie before. During the 2024-25 season, Pettersson started on a tear, producing 20 points in a 15-game stretch early in the season.
It looked like the old Pettersson was back and ready to tear up the league. Unfortunately, his run as a top-10 NHL scorer was short-lived; he tallied just six points in 17 games after that and finished with a 45-point season.
One issue that could hinder Pettersson’s performance this year is that he plays on an awful Canucks team. Sooner or later, teams are going to fixate their game plans on containing Pettersson, which could impact his numbers and ultimately his trade value.
Right now, the Canucks have loaded up (and I use that term loosely) their top line with Pettersson, Jake DeBrusk, and Brock Boeser, which should help him maintain his offensive production.
At the end of the day, Pettersson’s bounce-back play thus far could create a golden opportunity for both he and the Canucks, giving Vancouver the chance to fully move to a rebuild while allowing Pettersson to move on to a team with a chance to win. The Canucks would certainly love the cap relief and perhaps some future assets to add to their prospect cupboard, but a lot still needs to happen before that day comes.
Pettersson will likely need to sustain this play for at least half a season, and the Canucks might still need to eat a piece of his contract to make it all work. Pettersson also holds final say by way of an NMC and may exercise that depending on which teams have interest, which is his right.
But ultimately, whether Pettersson stays or goes, it’s best for both sides if he is healthy, productive, and earning his NHL paycheck.