Vancouver Canucks executive Jim Rutherford said the team is in rebuild mode. Will trading superstar center Elias Pettersson bring back the assets Vancouver needs to get on a fast track to success?
The Vancouver Canucks entered this season driven to redeem themselves after last season's dramatic setback.
They've done the opposite.
Their 16-25-5 record has them in last place. Any faint hope they had of correcting course after finishing 18th in the NHL last season has been extinguished.
And this week, Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford once again proved he's the NHL's most forthright executive. Speaking to the Vancouver Province, Rutherford said he's willing to listen to trade proposals involving any Vancouver player – and that the Canucks are officially on a rebuild.
"It's our duty to take calls on everyone," Rutherford said. "We may end up saying no to offers, certainly, but we're not going to say no to having conversations about any player… I would like to think based on the number of young players that we have, that we've been able to pick up over the last few years, with high ceiling, that this rebuild can take two or three years, not six to 10."
Rutherford, being specific in terms of (a) calling the Canucks' future a rebuild and (b) projecting it to take two to three years, makes it crystal clear that Vancouver is going to take a backward step or two this season.
And with that course now set, it's time to wonder whether star center Elias Pettersson wants to be part of this rebuild or waive his no-movement clause and start anew somewhere else. Or whether he'll even get that opportunity because of his contract.
We think if he gets presented with the opportunity for a trade, he should take it, and so should the Canucks if the return boosts their potential of building back stronger.
Unfortunately for Rutherford and Canucks GM Patrik Allvin, Vancouver's struggles this season are reflected in Pettersson's poor totals. He has only 15 assists and 28 points in 38 games. He did miss some time due to an injury, but at an $11.6-million cap hit, that production doesn't even come close to meeting expectations.
A change in scenery could be exactly what Pettersson needs to resuscitate his career. And if the Canucks can pick up anywhere close to the type of assets they did in the Quinn Hughes trade – three young players with high upside, and a first-round draft pick – Vancouver fans will be ecstatic.
That said, Pettersson's contract, which runs for another six seasons after this one, and his subpar play make it unlikely the Canucks will get what they got for Hughes.
So if the Canucks are going to move Pettersson, they'll likely have to sell him for less than they would've if they moved him last year. And he'll have to play well enough for other squads to take a risk on that massive contract. But Pettersson is still only 27, so Vancouver brass has to drive a hard bargain in any trade talks.
While a full rebuild is absolutely the right path for Vancouver, there's a real danger it could unintentionally last longer than two or three years. Just ask the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks about the perils of a rebuild.
Indeed, there's no guarantee a rebuild leads to success after a few years of struggles. So the Canucks have to move forward, aggressively changing things up and investing in a new group of young players. And if they stay where they are in the standings and get some good luck from the hockey gods, they could wind up with the top pick in the 2026 draft and get the right to draft phenom Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg. That would make all this losing worth it.
Vancouver currently has two first-round picks, but if they deal Pettersson and pick up another first-rounder, they could have enough of a foundation to build on. The rest of this season is going to be bowling-shoe-ugly for them, but we believe Canucks fans are mature enough to accept that a dose of pain can lead to better days down the line.
If, two years ago, you told Vancouver fans they'd be cheering for a team that traded Hughes, star center J.T. Miller and Pettersson, they would've looked at you like you had two heads. But now, that's a possibility.
Rutherford's comments very much feel like he's bracing Canucks fans for a rough ride between now and the March 6 trade deadline. And there's now no question that Vancouver is about to embark on a full rebuild. Whether Pettersson will be there for all of it remains to be seen.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.