Marcus Pettersson and Drew O'Connor join the Vancouver Canucks from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Vancouver Canucks made a second massive trade on Friday when they acquired defenceman Marcus Pettersson and forward Drew O'Connor from the Pittsburgh Penguins. In exchange for the two players, the Canucks set forward Danton Heinen, defenceman Vincent Desharnais, the rights to forward Melvin Fernström and the New York Rangers first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft to the Penguins. The deal frees up some future cap space as both Pettersson and O'Connor are unrestricted free agents while adding more players who Jim Rutherford and Patrik Allvin have experience with. 

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Starting with Pettersson, he is a 6'5", 175lbs left-shot defenceman. The 28-year-old has played 491 regular season games, plus an additional 25 in the postseason. This is the second time that Rutherford has traded for Pettersson, as he acquired the defender from the Anaheim Ducks for Daniel Sprong back in 2018. 

Pettersson is the type of defender Vancouver has been looking for since the offseason. He can transition the puck well and isn't a liability in the defensive zone. Pettersson is also a solid penalty killer and is averaging 22:03 this season. 

One of Pettersson's best attributes is using his stick to defend. He uses his 6'5" frame to knock pucks off opponents' sticks and isn't afraid to get in front of shots, as evidenced by his 83 blocked shots this season. Pettersson has also thrown over 120 hits in each of his last three seasons and is on pace to set a new career high in takeaways. 

As for where Pettersson slots into the lineup, that would be on the second pair. His play style matches well with both Filip Hronek and Tyler Myers, meaning the Canucks could do a rotation every few games among their top four. Pettersson can also fill in on the top pair if needed and will most likely be used on the first penalty kill unit. 

Moving over to O'Connor, the 26-year-old has played 210 regular season games as well as two playoff games. Listed at 6'4", 210lbs, he was never drafted, instead signed after two years in the NCAA at Dartmouth College. O'Connor does have a Vancouver connection, as he played with Conor Garland on Team USA at the 2023 World Championship. 

The first thing that stands out when it comes to O'Connor is his speed. According to NHL EDGE, he ranks in the 96th percentile for Speed Bursts over 20 mph and the 94th percentile for 18-20 mph bursts. Ultimately, O'Connor matches the play style Rick Tocchet wants to deploy, as he is a speedy forward who can get in on the forecheck consistently.

O'Connor is also a good penalty killer, which should help the Canucks. With J.T. Miller and now Heinen traded, Vancouver has a few open spots on their penalty kill. While Pius Suter and Teddy Blueger are still the team's top duo, O'Connor has the potential to slot into the second pairing and could form a solid and annoying to play against duo with Kiefer Sherwood. 

As for his place in the lineup, O'Connor will be on either the third or fourth line. He is a player that can be moved around the bottom six while providing some depth scoring. While listed as a left-winger, O'Connor has also played center during his career, which could be useful if injuries occur. 

While the acquisition cost was high, this was a trade that should help Vancouver push for a postseason spot. The Canucks also gained some cap flexibility for the future, which will help re-sign some of their key free agents. With both players expected to land in Vancouver on Saturday, there is a good chance Pettersson and O'Connor will make their Canucks debut against the Red Wings on Sunday. 

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