Hurricanes’ Proposed Elias Pettersson Trade Comes at a Steep Cost

Elias Pettersson made his long-awaited return to the Vancouver Canucks lineup on Saturday night after missing eight games with an upper-body injury. Not only was it his first game back, but it also marked his first time in action since the blockbuster Quinn Hughes trade, coming in a measuring-stick matchup against budding young superstar Macklin Celebrini.

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It was an opportunity for Pettersson to remind everyone that he’s healthy and still capable of going toe-to-toe with the league’s best centermen. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to seize the moment, finishing pointless with a -3 rating in a 6–3 loss, reigniting chatter about his future in Vancouver.

Hughes’ departure signaled a retool, rebuild, or whatever Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin prefer to call it. More importantly, it sent a clear message that no one is off-limits in trade talks, including Pettersson. While the four-time All-Star has looked better at times this season, it remains evident that a change of scenery could be beneficial.

As a result, Bill Scott of NHL Trade Rumors has been hearing some rumblings about the Carolina Hurricanes circling back with interest in Pettersson—though the rumored acquisition cost is substantial.

Scott wrote:

“The hypothetical deal floating around involves the Canucks sending Pettersson to Raleigh in exchange for Andrei Svechnikov, dynamic young forward Logan Stankoven and a 2026 1st-round pick,”

The 27-year-old Pettersson is in year two of the eight-year, $92.8 million extension he signed with the Canucks in 2024. He has recorded 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) in 29 games this season—a step up from a disastrous 2024–25 campaign, though still short of the expectations that come with his contract.

This Feels Like an Overpay for Elias Pettersson

While any team kicking tires on Pettersson would be banking on the former 100-point center rediscovering that level of play with a fresh start, it shouldn’t cost this much to take that gamble.

After an extremely slow start to the season, which led to speculation about a trade, Andrei Svechnikov’s play and production have rebounded in a big way. At this point, it’s fair to question whether GM Eric Tulsky would even consider moving him straight up for Pettersson, let alone as part of a larger package.

Adding Logan Stankoven—a promising young player who appears to be an excellent fit in Carolina—along with a 2026 first-round pick, seems to push the price a step too far.

That’s not to say Tulsky wouldn’t or shouldn’t be intrigued by the idea of acquiring Pettersson. However, given the drop-off in his play over the past two-and-a-half years, any pursuit should resemble a buy-low opportunity rather than paying a price for that of a franchise-altering star.

Next: Could Last Chance Contender Be a Trade Suitor for Morgan Rielly?