Who Says No to Trade: Vancouver Canucks or Buffalo Sabres?

The Vancouver Canucks and the Buffalo Sabres could be on the verge of making a trade. It is two months until the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, and both teams look to be exploring the trade market to shake up their rosters. Given the recent speculation, it could be possible that both teams could connect and pull off a blockbuster deal.

The Canucks face internal issues in their locker room between Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller, which has caused a rift within their team chemistry. Reports from Elliotte Friedman suggest that Vancouver could be willing to part with one of their stars to help clear up the issues in the room.

As for Buffalo, their season hasn’t gone as they would have expected and may benefit from a major roster shake-up. Pettersson would likely be the target for the Sabres, as he would fit into their system better than Miller.

Potential Trade Proposal

Vancouver Canucks: Dylan Cozens, Bowen Byram, and a 2026 second-round pick
Buffalo Sabres: Elias Pettersson

The Canucks won’t just trade Pettersson for anything less than a stellar return; teams will need to pay the price. The asking price will likely be significant. If the Sabres want to acquire him, it could cost them both Dylan Cozens and Bowen Byram.

The money isn’t that far off, making this trade financially feasible — $11.6M from the Canucks and $10.95M from the Sabres.

Why Buffalo Works

Vancouver could address both their forward group and their blue line if they were to part with their star forward. Byram would give them an additional offensive defenceman to play behind Quinn Hughes. Especially with Filip Hronek out due to injury, it would add more offense to the backend, which could help the team a lot.

As for Cozens, he is a completely different style of player than Pettersson. He brings similar attributes to Miller: plays hard, can score, and isn’t afraid to throw the body. If the Canucks want to keep Miller and play more of his style, Cozens would be the best option to receive in return.

For Buffalo, they are getting a former 100-point player who could benefit from a change of scenery and a dimmer spotlight. He would fit nicely on a line with Tage Thompson and could potentially get back to that 100-point player the NHL has seen before. Adding Pettersson also solidifies the Sabres’ top line with Tuch-Thompson-Pettersson, which could truly change the dynamic of their roster.

If Vancouver is actively shopping Pettersson, GM Patrik Alvin will be busy. When a player as good as him becomes available, all 31 other teams — or at least all the teams that can afford a player with his cap hit — do their due diligence to see if they have what it takes to get the deal done. If Alvin were wise, he would target Buffalo as a potential suitor; they can even use the Jack Eichel trade as a comparable to make the deal work.

Next: Who Says No to Trade: Vancouver Canucks or New York Rangers?