There has been a lot of speculation that has been brewing lately over the Vancouver Canucks and Philadelphia Flyers regarding the fate of center Elias Pettersson. A lot of this comes from how the Swedish star is unhappy with the direction the time is going and with many of the moves the franchise made over the last year or so.
Much of the speculation comes from the fact that he had a career year and a close relationship with his former head coach, now current Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet. Also, a lot of the highly prized potential players who could be traded this year have already come off the market as they have signed extensions with their teams. There isn't going to be a lot of great, young centers who will be available during this year's free agency season. That could drive up the price for Pettersson.
Beggars can't be choosers. This is one of the situations where the Flyers are actually in a great situation. Petterson's contract is paying him $11.6 million. Philly currently has $14 million in salary cap space and could clear up more with a trade. This means that the Flyers are more flexible than most of the other major players in a trade for Pettersson, as Philadelphia could eat up the entire salary and absorb that. Not many teams in the NHL could do that.
A trade between these two teams makes sense; almost makes too much sense. A few things are standing in the way, of course, but much of that could be ironed out.
Pettersson would be a game-changer for this franchise. There is no doubt. He is the 2018-19 Calder Trophy winner and a four-time all-star. The 27-year-old is also a three-time 30+ goal scorer and scored 102 points in 2022-23, following that up with 89 points the season after.
Let's be honest, 100-point scorers don't just fall in your lap every day. What would it cost to acquire him? What would some of the issues be in trying to get him? Let us examine the issues first.
The Problems of a Trade
As with all good things, in deference to Heinz Ketchup, you must wait. We'd love to have him now. That ain't going to happen. The Pettersson drama is guaranteed to last until just before the trade deadline. In fact, I'd bet money that it would be one of the final trades of the year. Why? Vancouver doesn't have to move him.
Pettersson is signed on to stay in Vancouver in 2032. That deal was just inked in 2024. He may not be happy with the state of things in Vancouver, but the team could force him to wait it out. Maybe things will improve, and he could be happier. Who knows?
However, the other wrinkle is that he has a full no-trade clause. He can't be moved without his permission. Vancouver could end up with a bevy of prospects and picks, but if Pettersson says "No", the deal is off. That could, in fact, limit where he goes and how much he brings back to the Canucks.
Further complicating this is the fact that just about every team in the NHL would be drooling over the chance to land him. If he is available, there are plenty of teams that could use a player like Pettersson. While not every team can afford him, I can guarantee you just about every team would figure out a way to clear up cap space to find room for him.
Perhaps he'd like a reunion with Tocchet. Of course, he may also dream of playing alongside someone like Auston Matthews in Toronto, Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh, Connor Bedard in Chicago, or David Pastrnak in Boston. It could also be that a team that is closer to the Stanley Cup than Philly, such as Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina, or Colorado, is a better fit.
The bigger question therein remains. What could the Flyers offer that they couldn't?
What Would Pettersson Cost?
Losing that much cap space would free the Canucks to later acquire more free agents or lock up future stars. The Flyers know all too well the value of paying for players on another team. They are still paying close to $7 million for Scott Laughton, Kevin Hayes, and Cam Atkinson. For Vancouver, not paying any of Pettersson's salary would be great for them.
However, they also know that would limit the return. Still, freeing up $11 million would greatly benefit the Canucks. So, what would be a fair return for Vancouver?
Let's assume that the Flyers take on all or the vast majority of Pettersson's salary (the more, the better for them), you would probably have to start with a center in return. With Pettersson in the lineup, the Flyers would have centers going down the line with Pettersson, Christian Dvorak/Trevor Zegras, Sean Couturier, and Noah Cates. It's possible that Zegras, a pending RFA, could be sent back to Vancouver, but considering how well he's fit with this team, that is unlikely.
The center to go back could be Cates because he is cheap. However, it would most likely mean Jett Luchanko, a young prospect with a lot of potential. It wouldn't be so much that the Flyers are giving up on Luchanko, but more so that the Flyers are getting a seasoned veteran who instantly changes the fortunes of this team.
However, this can't be a straight one-for-one deal. Another prospect or two would have to go. If you are talking forwards, maybe Alex Bump, Massimo Rizzo, or Karsen Dorwart. If you are talking about some of the young defenders, perhaps Helge Grans, Christian Kyrou, Artem Guryev, and/or Spencer Gill.
As for veterans currently on the roster, the Flyers have some that could be intriguing. A lot of speculation, as always, revolves around Owen Tippett. Would the Flyers have to eat some of his salary as part of the deal? Perhaps. A straight Tippett (plus other assets) for Pettersson could be a fairly even deal. Of course, the Flyers might have to throw in a young defender such as Emil Andrae. Perhaps Vancouver might want some younger guys, such as Bobby Brink or Nikita Grebenkin. Maybe they'd have to give up a player such as the injured Tyson Foerster. Losing Brink, Foerster, or Tippett would hurt, but I'd rather the team cough them up than Porter Martone.
Some draft picks will probably have to be surrendered as well. Vancouver has two picks in each of the first two rounds this year. They would probably prefer one of the Flyers' two first-rounders for next season. Any other pick the Flyers have is up for grabs.
To get Pettersson, it would have to be some combo of all of the above. It would probably take a first-round pick plus another high pick or two, one or two top prospects, and one veteran player. So, a package of a 2026 second-rounder, 2027 first-rounder, Brink, Andrae, and Luchanko would probably be the cost.
Either way, it would be a high price to acquire Pettersson. However, it could be worth it. Pettersson's addition to this team would make for two solid scoring lines and a very strong third line. This trade would instantly catapult the Flyers into legit contender status. The Flyers haven't had a 100-point scorer since Claude Giroux in 2017-18 or an 80-point scorer since Giroux and Jakub Voracek the following season.
For now, we must sit and wait and see how this all plays out. A deal of this size will cost the Flyers something. However, this isn't the "Win now!" moves that were previously done yearly by Bobby Clarke and Paul Holmgren in the past. Pettersson is inked up until 2032. This isn't sacrificing the future for this year or next year. It's making a smart move that will carry this franchise into the next decade.