Will the Vancouver Canucks re-sign their new trade acquisitions? What about Brock Boeser?
The rumored rift between Vancouver Canucks centers Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller ended Friday when Miller was traded to the New York Rangers. The Canucks followed that by acquiring defenseman Marcus Pettersson and left winger Drew O'Connor from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Trading Miller ended weeks of speculation over which center the Canucks would move and whether it would be done in time to prevent the drama from derailing their season. However, their Friday dealings also raised questions about their next moves.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman believes the Miller trade can let things settle down for Pettersson, allowing him to focus on regaining the offensive form that earned him his expensive eight-year contract. The Athletic's Thomas Drance thinks the 26-year-old center is off the trade block but didn't rule out the Canucks peddling him in the off-season if he continues to struggle.
Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News speculated the Miller trade won't end the Sabres' pursuit of Pettersson. He felt the Canucks could be hanging onto him for a playoff push this season and attempt to move him during the draft in June.
Time will tell what the rest of this season holds for Pettersson and the Canucks. If they decide to listen to offers for him, they'll have until July 1 before his full no-movement clause goes into effect.
As for Marcus Pettersson and O'Connor, Friedman and Drance reported the Canucks are keen to sign them to contract extensions. They're both UFA-eligible on July 1. Marcus is completing a five-year deal with an average annual value of $4.025 million while O'Connor's is on a two-year deal worth $925,000 annually.
Drance believes the Canucks' priority is finding a first-line or top-six center. He speculated they could look for an upgrade at that position before the March 7 trade deadline, depending on their performance in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Patrick Johnston of The Province believes the projected rise of the salary cap to $95.5 million for next season could make Brock Boeser stand firm on asking for a substantial raise.
Boeser, 27, is due to become a UFA on July 1 and carries a $6.65-million cap hit on his current contract. However, his contract extension talks with management have been reportedly lukewarm.
New Jersey Hockey Now's James Nichols noted that Boeser could become available if he and the Canucks fail to agree to a new contract. He thinks the Devils should look into acquiring him as they need a shooter on their first power-play unit.
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