Elliotte Friedman unleashed a hypothetical trade proposal that has Vancouver Canucks fans talking today.
It involves Elias Pettersson.
Coming back the other way in this fictional trade with the Buffalo Sabres are Dylan Cozens and Bowen Byram.
The NHL insider was clear to note that this was pure speculation on his part.
“I want to stress this [trade] is purely in my head,” Friedman said on the 32 Thoughts podcast. “Who says no? [Dylan] Cozens and Bowen [Byram] for Pettersson?”
Pettersson is in the first year of a massive eight-year, $92.8 million contract. He has a no-movement clause, but that doesn’t kick in until next season.
The 26-year-old Swede has struggled to play up to his standards for nearly a calendar year. Pettersson has 51 points in 62 games since February 1 and finished last year’s playoff run with just one goal and six points in 13 games. Canucks fans know he can play better, and Pettersson has admitted as much as well.
Trading Pettersson would obviously be risky, but the proposed deal would help fix the Canucks’ defence. Byram, 23, is a bonafide top-four defenceman. The former Vancouver Giants defenceman won a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022 and has 90 points in 195 career NHL games.
Cozens is a 6-foot-3 centre who’s having an off-year with 13 points in 31 games. The 23-year-old former World Junior star was drafted seventh overall by Buffalo in 2019 and has a bright future. The Whitehorse native is just two years removed from a 31-goal, 68-point season.
So what do Canucks fans think about the proposed deal?
I have news for everyone thinking somehow the Canucks will win more games without Pettersson keeping the Canucks alive during non Hughes minutes lol pic.twitter.com/uRvbgdxgbX
— Chester Ming (@ChesterM222) December 16, 2024
This might be one of the worst trades proposals I’ve seen.
If you’re going to trade Pettersson (which you shouldn’t), you should AT LEAST be getting one of Thompson, Power or Dhalin in return (still would need more than just one of those players). https://t.co/Kx8X8O0fZx
— Hughes is the GOAT (@Hughes4Norris) December 16, 2024
i see we’re back to our annual trade pettersson insanity
— Sam (@samanthacp_) December 16, 2024
Pettersson showed if he gets the lions share of Hughes minutes he’s back to his 100 point self.
Trading the 26 year old centre over the 31 year old would be absolutely brain dead.
You build around Pettersson and Hughes, full stop.
— Niq (@NiqhilVelji) December 16, 2024
So the 15-9-5 #Canucks (who won the division last year) should trade away one of their 2 best centers and fire their coach because…?
Goddamn lunatics.
— Disco Stu (@TheDiscoStu) December 16, 2024
Trading Pettersson would be Cam Neely Part 2 if not worse.
— Taj (@taj1944) December 16, 2024
every day i open this app and there’s a stupider take about elias pettersson than i thought possible. this would be a fireable offence. https://t.co/4CAjtMFgL2
— em (@canxawfc) December 16, 2024
If #Canucks are even thinking about trading Pettersson, the guy coming back HAS to be Tage Thompson. I don’t make the rules sorry.
— M.D (@nucks0) December 16, 2024
Elliotte Friedman ‘spit-balling’ a Pettersson to Buffalo trade within the first 15 minutes of 32 Thoughts podcast.
Vancouver market: pic.twitter.com/nCr7W5keBg
— Pucks On Net (@Pucksonnetca) December 16, 2024
Go back to bed, it’s a Pettersson-Trade-Rumours day
— The HockeySport Podcast (@HockeySportPod) December 16, 2024