The Detroit Red Wings could make a big splash this summer by targeting former 100-point scorer Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks.
The Fourth Period called Detroit one of the “teams reportedly linked” to Pettersson in a June 19 “Summer Trade Watch” story.
Pettersson trade rumors are nothing new. This past season, Pettersson was mired in trade talk stemming from the public feud with teammate J.T. Miller. The Canucks were purportedly shopping both, with the New York Rangers scooping up Miller.
That left Pettersson, and his upcoming $11.6 million cap hit on the books in Vancouver.
Now, the Canucks, looking to retool this offseason, have fueled rumors about Pettersson’s availability.
Insider Nick Kypreos and his Off-Season Trade Board place Elias Pettersson atop the list.
The reasoning?
The Canucks are concerned about Pettersson’s precipitous drop in production. Pettersson went from 102 points in 2022-23, to 89 in 2023-24 to 45 in 2024-25. Granted, Pettersson dealt with injuries limiting him to 64 games this past season.
As Kypreos notes, the Canucks could be hoping that Elias Pettersson rebounds. Otherwise, Pettersson’s name could be on the block.
The Fourth Period noted that the Canucks would rather keep him but that the team was “open to taking calls.”
Detroit Red Wings Could Take Advantage of Canucks’ Desperation
There’s a powerful reason why the Vancouver Canucks could be desperate to move Pettersson before July 1. That day, Elias Pettersson’s new contract kicks in, and it comes with a full no-movement clause. That situation would make it virtually impossible to trade Pettersson.
As the Fourth Period stated, Pettersson’s “trade value is at a low point.” That situation opens the door for the Red Wings to fleece the Canucks in a deal for Pettersson. The Red Wings could land Pettersson for pennies on the dollar as he enters his prime.
Predicting what it will take to pry Pettersson away from Vancouver may be challenging. A good estimate could be a combination of mid to late-round picks and a mid-tier prospect. The Canucks can forget about getting a first-round pick for Pettersson unless they are willing to eat half of his cap hit. Even then, it might be tough to get the Red Wings to part with a first-rounder.
If the Canucks retain some salary, they could get a second-round pick and potentially a prospect like Amadeus Lombardi or Emmitt Finnie. But if the Canucks expect the Red Wings to take on Pattersson’s full cap hit, the price would go way down. Perhaps the Canucks would be willing to take J.T. Compher or Andrew Copp off the Wings’ hands.
The Risks for Detroit in Trading for Elias Pettersson
Trading for Elias Pettersson does not come without its pitfalls. Pettersson will be owed $11.6 million for the next eight seasons, without any guarantee that he’ll rebound to his 100-point level of two seasons ago.
That’s a pricey gamble for the Detroit Red Wings as they could be stuck with an albatross that would be nearly impossible to move. Even if the Canucks retained salary, The Wings would be on the hook for Pettersson’s contract.
Moreover, Pettersson is just now entering the first year of his new contract. That’s eight seasons the Red Wings will have to figure out what to do about Pettersson.
Ultimately, the biggest risk with Pettersson is not so much the price tag to get him, but the cap space that could be tied up in a player who may not come close to living up to his contract.
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