Rumor: Canucks have taken Elias Pettersson EP40 off the trade market

[CascadiaPuck]

Not saying I'm taking any side or the other but to act like his agent is telling the real story is also pretty laughable. Guy is protecting his asset, and with EP, there has been a common thing used to protect him every single time. Injuries.

The consistent reports on the tendinitis thing and the noticeable drop off in EP40’s play since the all star break in 2024 offer a simple explanation for what has happened here. People want to turn it into something else. His 2023/24 pace was close to what it had been the year before (>100pt season) and then went down in Feb last year. The story has been consistent. Why is a lingering injury issue so hard to accept? Why is the more likely explanation that several professionals all suddenly couldn’t make it work together after years together? Why does the gossipy drama version seem better?

I remember all the stuff about Boeser’s issues for a couple years. His attitude was a problem, he’s injury prone, etc. Then the obvious issue that was known - his Dad’s health problems - came to a head, and he passed. The next year Boeser pots 40 goals.

I’m a hoofbeats = horses, not zebras guy.

Some of the shit being said or speculated about Pettersson is as dumb as the “McDavid’s coming home to Toronto” speculation.

 

[Turin]

Doesn't make sense to deal him before letting the season play out unless you have medical info that leads you to believe he will never be the player from 2 years ago again

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

They took him off the market because Vancouver is expecting a haul for him and the return is going to be disappointing. Move him at the draft is the best.

 

[VancouverJagger]

Yes pretty obvious the agent is yes protecting his client. The truth is probably somewhere in between being injured and not being able to train enough vs.EP simply not 100% taking his job seriously over the summer.............Either way i think it's clear EP40 hasn't had the burst he should have. Hopefully this summer he's clear on expectations and is able to fully train and get back to where he needs to be.

His skill hasn't all of a sudden left him...........

 

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

God I hope that's true... so we can put this crap behind us.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

The problem with EP40 was tendinitis last spring, which led to little to no off-season training.

I think you have this backwards.

Player who didn’t appreciate the importance of offseason training subsequently developed chronic knee pain as a result of an inadequate strength & conditioning regimen.

In any event, there are plenty of strength exercises and forms of aerobic/HIIT conditioning that can be used to work around a (relatively minor) injury like knee tendinitis. Injured players around the league and in other contact sports are able to rehab/recover while still maintaining their fitness, many with much more debilitating injuries.

All comes down to how seriously one approaches their physical preparation. I think EP was naive in that regard but understands what it takes now. My money would be on a huge bounce back in 25-26.

 

[JKG33]

Is Nylander overpaid?

Nylander 240 pts in his last 219 games
Pettersson 225 points in his last 211 games

Absolutely yes

His agent also said he did very little training this summer and pointed out Robertson in Dallas as someone else who has struggled after a summer filled with rehab opposed to training.

Pointed out another player who's softer than baby shit?

 

[Nogatco Rd]

The consistent reports on the tendinitis thing and the noticeable drop off in EP40’s play since the all star break in 2024 offer a simple explanation for what has happened here. People want to turn it into something else.

His 2023/24 pace was close to what it had been the year before (>100pt season) and then went down in Feb last year. The story has been consistent. Why is a lingering injury issue so hard to accept?

Those issues aren't mutually exclusive. In fact, they're in all likelihood connected.

IMO, EP40's inadequate off-ice preparation is the root cause of:

1. a general drop-off in his effectiveness as a player

2. frustration and resentment within the team's leadership group (i.e. Miller) as a matter of principle

3. the chronic knee inflammation which is commonly seen in athletes with weak cores and underdeveloped posterior chain musculature (glutes, back, hamstrings)

Why is the more likely explanation that several professionals all suddenly couldn’t make it work together after years together?

No one is saying it happened all of a sudden. Former teammates and coaches have acknowledged there was an ongoing rift that dates back years.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

His agent also said he did very little training this summer and pointed out Robertson in Dallas as someone else who has struggled after a summer filled with rehab opposed to training.

It's his agent, of course he's gonna stick up for his client. Damage control.

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

Are you telling me the Dobson rumour that made absolutely zero sense for both teams isn't happening now?! Say it ain't so!

 

[I Hart Conor Garland]

sure jancouver janucks

 

[Fist of Fury]

Good, don't have to worry anymore.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Trading 2 1Cs does not work.

I do wonder with all the cap space if they are going to take a run at big free agents.

 

[Nucklehead Supreme]

Saying Vancouver has no chance at a cup of is the safe bet but when you have arguably a top 3 goalie tandem that will include a guy nominated for the vezina who unlike every other top goalie won't be on fumes come playoffs. A Dcorp that is very good, a shit load of cap space as well as picks and prospects.
They have a very good bottom six and depth and while admittedly the top six has struggled they look faster and there's just a different vibe.

Brock has gone out of his way to say he wants to be here and since 8 years isn't likely an option there's really no point in trading him unless they feel it makes the team better.

Like maybe the jets who unlike the nucks don't have clout on July 1st decide Ehlers is gone that's a trade that I could get behind. Brock would likely have no problem playing in Winnipeg, being so close to home, while the nucks probably feel the same about Ehlers.

But for a second and a prospect for your best goal scorer and longest tenured loved in the room loyal soldier, while very likely being a playoff team literally built for playoff hockey is just dumb on every level IMHO.

I'll admit our capspace is looking better, but we have neither a shitload of picks or prospects, both of which are at an abysmal level.

 

[biturbo19]

Not really,

IMO Pettersson's value is still sky high with real GMs.

He could probably fetch a young centre that we can hope to build around one day, in other words we can hope to become Elias Pettersson one day..

Kent Johnson
Mason Mctavish
Dylan Cozens
etc etc

I mean, yes really...

Sure, Pettersson's value is likely still extremely high amongst other GMs. But for the exact reasons the Canucks can't afford to deal him anymore. That window is closed. There is basically the entirety of the non-playoff half of the league and even some playoff teams who are desperately searching for a guy who even has a tiny shred of hope of being a bonafide #1C. Pettersson has actually demonstrated that he can be that guy, in the NHL, for realsies.

When they had the option of trying to build around a different 1C in JT Bozo, it was a question. A fork in the road. But they made their choice.


Kent Johnson hasn't even demonstrated that he's an NHL Center, much less a guy who can hit the heights Pettersson has.

McTavish and Cozens are both players i think are a lot better than their current situations allow them to show...but neither has shown any indications from draft year projection to date, that they're going to be any kind of true #1C. They're both very much in the 2C mold if they can get back on track with nice aspects, but limitations that keep them well short of a 1C and the sort of echelon Pettersson can touch when he's healthy, and has his head in the game.

There's no "etc. etc." The supply of potential 1Cs whom teams would move is practically null. Especially young ones. Zegras is the only other one who comes to mind...and that's a whole new can of worms. Would Rutherford be able to convince Geno Malkin to waive to come to Vancouver? Doubtful and also stupid because he's very old and as much as i love the way he plays, he's clearly slowing down, not a 1C anymore and only going to decline from there. 1C and 1D are the most impossible assets to find via trade or UFA. You draft and develop these guys, as the Canucks have with Pettersson.


So sure...you could trade the much higher ceiling player in Pettersson for a Kent/McTavish/Cozens...but if you do that, what in the blue heck are you trying to accomplish? What are you actually building towards? You just went out and spent a 1st on an older defenceman in Marcus Pettersson and signed him to a long-term contract. You've got Quinton Hughes who is the engine of your entire team as a UFA in 2.5 years. You don't have time to dither around waiting for a new 1C to fall into your lap. You've dealt away another 1C and a very solid 2C to make nice with Pettersson. If you're not going to build around him, then why on earth are you getting rid of all your other Top-6 Centers?

It's just abundantly clear that the Canucks have made their choice and are going to ride or die with Pettersson, and that's pretty much it. For better or worse.


The new problem is just...finding an actual 2C. And that's probably going to have to be some sort of Boeser package. That's where guys like Cozens, McTavish start to enter the conversation. Probably not directly, but as the sort of "trade for assets and flip elsewhere" deal that Ruthervin have done multiple times over now.