The Vancouver Canucks are shaking things up in a big way, with stars Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller both potentially on the trading block.
Hockey insider Elliotte Friedman dropped the bombshell on “Saturday Headlines,” revealing that the Canucks are actively listening to offers for both forwards.
It’s not just idle chatter. The team has already made it clear to interested parties that they’ll need an NHL-ready center in return for either player.
Neither Pettersson nor Miller has asked for a trade, though sources say Miller would prefer heading back to the United States.
The situation gets really interesting when you look at how these two play together – or rather, how they don’t. When Miller was out injured for 10 games this season, Pettersson caught fire with 2 goals and 15 points. But with Miller in the lineup? Just 8 goals and 13 points in 23 games.
Canucks GM Patrik Allvin raised eyebrows recently when he talked about Pettersson to Sportsnet:
“Petey has shown he’s an extremely talented player that could and should be a No. 1 center,” Allvin said. “But he needs to mature… Is a trade possible? I guess I would say anything is possible.”
The money complicates things. Pettersson’s hefty $11.6M salary makes him tougher to move than Miller, who earns $8M. Plus, Miller has a no-movement clause in his contract right now, while Pettersson’s doesn’t kick in until next year.
Miller’s been Mr. Reliable regardless of who he plays with, but at 30 years old, he’s five years older than Pettersson. That age gap might factor into Vancouver’s long-term plans.
The Canucks could still try to work things out internally. But Allvin’s shown he’s not afraid of big moves, and a trade might be the fresh start everyone needs.
