Elias Pettersson Must Prove Himself to Canucks

Elias Pettersson will have to show that he's worthy of staying with the Vancouver Canucks.

Feb 2, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (40) skates against the Detroit Red Wings in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images / Bob Frid-Imagn Images

It took the Vancouver Canucks a couple of months to negotiate and finally pull off a trade with one of their feuding stars. As the heat between Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller continued, both found themselves among potential trade pieces for the Canucks.

The New York Rangers ended up stepping in and making a trade for Miller, leaving the Canucks with Pettersson. On paper, this was the best possible outcome for the Canucks, but now Pettersson will have to prove he’s worth keeping and worth the massive contract extension he signed last season.

Before the end of the 2023-24 season, Pettersson signed an eight-year contract worth $11.6 million annually, making him the highest-paid player on the Canucks roster. Through 46 games this season, Pettersson has 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 total points, well below what everyone knows is possible.

Despite the lack of production, plenty of people are willing to give Pettersson the benefit of the doubt, for now. The tension between he and Miller may have played a role in the low numbers, but now he’s out of excuses.

With the Miller trade complete, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman says Pettersson is off the Canucks trade block, at least for now. Pettersson essentially needs to earn his role within the Canucks lineup again.

“It sounds like they’re dialing back things on Pettersson now,” Friedman said on the Donnie and Dhali Show. “I think they want him to just see how it goes, see how he reacts to everything, see how things play out over the next little while.”

Pettersson’s eight-year contract came with a full no-move clause, but it doesn’t kick in until next season. Through the 2024-25 season and into the first part of the offseason, the Canucks are free to move and trade Pettersson without needing permission from the player.

“They have until July 1 to make a decision,” Friedman said. “Whether the Canucks do it now or later, they ultimately have time before they have to decide what path they want to go down here.”

With the tensions eased in the locker room and useful players coming to Vancouver as a result of a few moves, Pettersson must find what made him a 102-point player in 2022-23. Not only to help the Canucks stay in the playoff hunt but to help himself remain in Vancouver.

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