What to do with struggling center Elias Pettersson will be a key off-season issue for the Vancouver Canucks. Meanwhile, the rebuilding Philadelphia Flyers could be in the market for a center this summer.
The Vancouver Canucks were officially eliminated from the 2026 playoff race on Sunday.
With a record of 21-41-8, they're on pace for one of their worst seasons in a non-lockout, non-COVID year.
Canucks fans are looking past this lost season toward the NHL draft lottery in May, when they're hopeful that their club's lowly position in the standings will help them win the first overall pick for the first time in franchise history.
Meanwhile, Patrick Johnston of The Province looked at what else could be in store for the Canucks during the off-season.
Johnston believes it would be smart for the Canucks to try to trade struggling center Elias Pettersson for a decent return. He also felt it would be wise on Pettersson's part to request a trade, as he'd likely welcome a fresh start elsewhere.
The 27-year-old Pettersson has frequently surfaced in the rumor mill over the past two seasons. His production has dropped substantially from his career-high 102-point performance in 2022-23.
Nevertheless, there could be GMs willing to bet on Pettersson regaining his high-scoring form playing for a better team.
Pettersson's contract remains a significant obstacle to a trade. He's signed through 2031-32, earning an average annual value of $11.6 million, and he has a full no-movement clause.
The Canucks probably won't find any takers unless they agree to retain part of Pettersson's cap hit, but they'd prefer moving the entirety of his remaining contract. His no-move clause will significantly limit potential trade partners, in turn hurting the Canucks efforts to get a quality return.
Turning to the Philadelphia Flyers, they're still within striking distance of a wild-card berth. However, they need at least three of the clubs ahead of them in the standings to falter down the stretch to clinch a playoff spot.
While the Canucks are beginning what could be a long rebuild, the Flyers are further along with theirs. Nevertheless, they must address their lack of depth at center during the off-season to have a realistic shot at the playoffs next season.
Daily Faceoff's Anthony Di Marco recently suggested several off-season trade options to address that need.
Robert Thomas of the St. Louis Blues could be available, but the high asking price will likely discourage the Flyers.
The Seattle Kraken were willing to move young center Shane Wright, but Di Marco wondered if Matty Beniers might be available, citing Chandler Stephenson's lengthy contract and the presence of promising Jake O'Brien in their system.
It's doubtful that the low-scoring Kraken will move their first-line center. If anything, they could seek a top-line scoring winger for Beniers' line.
Di Marco also indicated that the Flyers had expressed an interest in promising Boston Bruins centers Dean Letourneau and Matthew Poitras. They're likely to have better luck acquiring one or both of those players than they will in landing Thomas or Beniers.
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.