Elias Pettersson, a pending restricted free agent, is not in a rush to sign a contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks and may be waiting to see where the NHL salary cap ceiling is going before committing to a long-term deal, despite his strong start to the season.
‣ Elias Pettersson is still not in a rush to sign a contract extension with the Vancouver Canucks, even though he is under their control for one more season.
‣ Pettersson’s logic for the holding pattern might be to try and get a better sense of where the NHL salary cap ceiling is going before he puts pen to paper on a long-term deal.
‣ Despite the Canucks’ hot start, it doesn’t appear as though it has moved the needle for Pettersson, and the longer he waits, the higher his price is going to climb for a long-term deal.
TSN Insider Chris Johnston reports that Elias Pettersson, a pending restricted free agent with the Vancouver Canucks, seems in no hurry to sign a contract extension. Instead of rushing to sign a new contract, Pettersson is considering going to arbitration or accepting a qualifying offer of over $8M due to the uncertainty of the NHL salary cap ceiling.
Pettersson, who is under Canucks control for one more season, is excelling this season with eight goals and 20 assists in 20 games. Despite his impressive performance, he still appears to be in a holding pattern, showing no signs of being swayed by the Canucks’ strong start this season.
Coming off a season with 39 goals and 63 assists, Pettersson is on pace for a 114-point season this year. The longer he waits to sign a new deal, the higher his price is expected to be, as long as there are no injuries or slumps during the season.
While the Canucks are in a favorable salary cap situation and should be able to accommodate a long-term deal with a cap hit around $10M per season, Pettersson’s hesitance has raised doubts about his long-term future in Vancouver. It’s uncertain how his decision will impact the Canucks and their fans going forward.
