The Vancouver Canucks are getting a major boost tonight as Elias Pettersson returns to action against the Carolina Hurricanes after missing six games with an injury.
The timing couldn’t be more interesting, as trade rumors have been swirling around the 26-year-old center. There’s been talk of tension between Pettersson and teammate J.T. Miller, leading the Canucks to quietly explore trade options for both players.
It’s not the first time Pettersson’s name has come up in trade discussions. He was almost dealt to these same Hurricanes last season before choosing to stay put in Vancouver, signing a massive eight-year, $92.8 million contract in March.
This season hasn’t gone quite as planned for the Swedish star. Before getting hurt, he’d put up just 28 points in 34 games – well below what you’d expect from a player making $11.6 million per year.
But here’s where it gets really interesting: Pettersson actually played his best hockey this year when Miller wasn’t around. During Miller’s personal leave in November and December, Pettersson went on a tear, racking up 15 points in just 10 games.
Then Miller came back, and Pettersson went cold. He went six straight games without a point before finally scoring twice against San Jose on December 23rd – the same game where he got hurt.
The Canucks cleared a roster spot yesterday by sending goalie Arturs Silovs down to their AHL team in Abbotsford.
One big question remains: who will Pettersson play with tonight? He’s been shuffled around quite a bit this season, sharing ice time with Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk, Conor Garland, Nils Höglander, and Kiefer Sherwood. With no morning skate today, we’ll have to wait until game time to see where coach Rick Tocchet slots him in.
