Trade rumors persist regarding Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson and Nashville Predators winger Jonathan Marchessault, but moving the contracts of two declining assets won't be easy.
The Vancouver Canucks began rebuilding last season, tearing down their roster by trading away core players, such as Quinn Hughes, Conor Garland, Tyler Myers and Kiefer Sherwood.
Now under new management and with a new coaching staff, the rebuild will continue this season, prompting ongoing speculation over Elias Pettersson's future in Vancouver.
Pettersson, 27, has been the subject of frequent trade speculation for the past two seasons. The decline in his performance, combined with his expensive contract, has pundits suggesting the Canucks will try to move him.
On July 10, Thomas Drance of The Athletic was asked whether the Canucks would give Pettersson a chance to regain some semblance of the high-scoring form that earned him his hefty contract. He thinks they'll try to trade him but acknowledges the factors that could make him difficult to move.
Meanwhile, rumors persist linking Pettersson to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
During a recent appearance on Oilers Now with Bob Stauffer, Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal said he believed the Penguins had some level of interest in Pettersson. He acknowledged a rumor making the rounds claiming the Canucks wanted center Ben Kindel as part of the return but doubted the Penguins would part with the promising young center for a player with a bad contract.
TSN's Travis Yost believes Pettersson's days are numbered with the Canucks. While noting the center's contract was a sticking point, he suggested the rising salary cap could make some interested teams more willing to take him on.
Teams could still prefer the Canucks to retain part of Pettersson's $11.6 million average annual value. However, if his performance improves this season, he could become more enticing to clubs seeking a skill center. With the salary cap expected to rise in 2027-28 to $113.5 million and to over $123 million in 2028-29, his contract might not be as much of a deal-breaker going forward.
Meanwhile, in Nashville, new Predators GM Chris MacFarland hasn't wasted time making changes to his roster.
Since taking over the role on June 2, MacFarland has made several trades. He acquired young center Mavrik Bourque from the Dallas Stars, winger Nils Hoglander from the Canucks, and forwards Ross Colton and Jack Drury from his former club, the Colorado Avalanche.
MacFarland also shipped out forwards Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L'Heureux and could have more moves coming.
Alex Daugherty of The Tennessean observed that the Predators have 26 active roster players under contract for 2026-27. He believes MacFarland could have more trades up his sleeve.
One of them could involve finding a new home for Jonathan Marchessault. The 35-year-old right winger has struggled since joining the Predators as a free agent two years ago. He has a full no-movement clause but could be open to waiving it for a change of scenery.
Despite his age, Marchessault could regain his scoring touch with another club. However, Daugherty noted his contract would be an issue. He's signed through 2029-30 with an average annual value of $5.5 million.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. See more of The Hockey News on Google and save us as a preferred source. 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.
