Despite being the team's best player coming off his first career 100 point season, the Elias Pettersson contract situation in Vancouver is a confusing one, and now, it appears to be getting even more murky.
No commitment?
Now, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman has revealed that while we knew Pettersson wasn't ready to commit to the Canucks, the team are reportedly not willing to commit to their biggest star either.
«If there is any doubt that Pettersson wants to make a commitment, I'm not convinced that they want to make a commitment»
- Elliott Friedman on RFA to be Elias Pettersson
- Elliott Friedman on RFA to be Elias Pettersson
It's unclear whether this report is simply reactionary to the report of Pettersson not being 100% interested in a long-term extension or if this was their feeling all along, but this season will now be crucial to their future.
A superstar in the making
While Pettersson has been growing into a star in front of our eyes, this is a team that's struggled to put a winning roster around him, and with just one year left on his current deal, anything could happen over the next 12 months.
Now, unless an extension is reached, making a push for a trade could become a real possibility, and if a team can work out a long-term deal while making a trade, he would become the hottest commodity on the trade market, potentially netting Vancouver this return.
A top-six forward, a top-four defenseman, an A-level prospect, a B-level prospect, a first-rounder, and a second-rounder that could upgrade to a first
It's unlikely that anything will happen until the trade deadline, but right now, the Canucks have a massive star on their hands, and if neither party is interested in an extension, this may be the way this situation ultimately unfolds.
As Read on Hockey OTB - RUMOR: Elias Pettersson To Be Traded?
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