Elias Pettersson Deserves More Than Nylander
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Willam Nylander just got paid $92 million on a contract extension. Vancouver Canucks Forward Elias Pettersson is due for a massive pay increase after this season, and it should be for more than Nylander.
Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports - Elias Pettersson Deserves More Than NylanderToronto Maple Leafs forward Willam Nylander just got paid $92 million on a contract extension. Vancouver Canucks Forward Elias Pettersson is due for a massive pay increase after this season, and it should be for more than Nylander.
Pettersson makes $7,350,000 and will be an RFA at season's end. Nylander's current cap hit is $6,962,366. Nylander got a maximum-term deal with a full no-move clause and a $4.5 million increase in cap hit.
While Nylander is a terrific player in the NHL, Pettersson is better, plain and simple. Pettersson is a leader for the Canucks franchise on and off the ice.
Pettersson scored 102 points in 80 games last season and has 48 points in 39 games this year. He is quietly on pace for another 100-point campaign, and if he gets it, that would be the second of his career.
Nylander is on pace for a career season this year. He has 54 points in 37 games, which puts him on pace for his first 100-point season in the NHL. Nylander's career high is 87 points, which he set last season.
Pettersson is two years younger than Nylander, so giving him an eight-year contract is easier. Pettersson is also a more complete player for the Canucks. He plays against the top lines every night and is on the top penalty kill unit for head coach Rick Tocchet. He continually makes his linemates better, and when with the 'lotto line' of JT Miller and Brock Boeser, offensive magic is created.
The other option for Pettersson is to go with the Auston Matthews-type contract extension.
Matthews signed a four-year $53,000,000 contract extension that kicks in next season. Matthews is 26 years old and has set himself up for at least one more chance at hitting the UFA market for a big payday.
At 25, Pettersson could do the same thing and have his contract lined up with Quinn Hughes's. Hughes's contract expires after the 2026-27 NHL season. Like Matthews, he has set himself up to hit the UFA market with a chance at a big payday.
There have been reports that Pettersson isn't ready to talk with the Canucks front office about an extension just yet.
Pettersson has only made the playoffs once in his NHL career, 2019-20 in the bubble. He had 18 points in 17 games. He likely wants to play more meaningful hockey, and given the team's success this season, he's about to get what he wants.
There was also a far-fetched rumour that he would want to play for the Chicago Blackhawks to join forces with rookie superstar Connor Bedard.
This thought had no evidence to support it other than Pettersson saying that Bedard is a great player.
A contract extension is the likely outcome for Pettersson and the Vancouver Canucks. When that outcome comes to fruition, Pettersson could approach the $13 million cap hit range, a larger and, quite frankly, more deserving number given what the Toronto Maple Leafs gave William Nylander.
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