The Detroit Red Wings have been linked to star forward Elias Pettersson as a potential trade target ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.
Pettersson has been the subject of trade speculation throughout the season due to his struggles. Earlier, he had a reported rift with J.T. Miller, leading the Vancouver Canucks to trade Miller to the New York Rangers. However, with Pettersson continuing to underperform, his name has resurfaced in trade discussions.
NHL insider David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period included Pettersson on his trade bait board and identified the Red Wings as a team showing interest.
“With J.T. Miller dealt to the Rangers, the Canucks have slowed things down with respect to the Pettersson trade market,” Pagnotta wrote. “They’ll continue to listen, but unless someone blows their socks off — Pettersson has expressed his desire to stay in Vancouver — at this point, a move ahead of the deadline may be a surprise. But never say never.”
Pettersson is in the first year of his eight-year, $92.8 million contract with the Canucks. So far, he has played 51 games this season, tallying 11 goals and 24 assists for 35 points.
Canucks Coach Calls Out Pettersson
Elias Pettersson has been a key player for the Vancouver Canucks, but he has struggled this season.
Following Vancouver’s loss on February 22, Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet voiced his frustrations with Pettersson in an interview with Sportsnet’s Iain McIntyre.
“We’ve talked about how he has to move his feet and can’t double clutch (with the puck),” Tocchet said. “I think he’s waiting for something. I don’t know if it’s a lack of confidence in his shot, but as soon as he has room, he’s got to take it and just blast it. I’d rather him just rip a puck right now. He’s not moving his feet. I thought today, some shifts he was moving his feet, and it looked like we had some glimpses. But six-on-five there at the end, it’s the same thing—waiting. If he just takes three or four strides . . . I don’t know if it’s a mental block right now, all year, but he’s got to move his feet.”
Pettersson is a four-time NHL All-Star and previously set a career-high with 102 points in a season.
Red Wings in Playoff Spot
The Detroit Red Wings are currently clinging to a Wild Card spot as they look to end their playoff drought.
Detroit bounced back from an overtime loss to Minnesota on February 22 with a 5-4 OT victory over Anaheim. While earning three points over the weekend was a solid result, head coach Todd McLellan emphasized the need for improvement.
“We’re happy with the win,” McLellan said. “We got into a situation similar to last night, where the last three or four minutes we had to play 6-on-5. It’s pretty evident we have to do a better job.”
Star defenseman Moritz Seider echoed that sentiment, acknowledging that while the win was important, there’s still work to be done.
“Luckily, we got two points tonight,” Seider said. “But we’ll definitely learn, analyze, and then get better.”
The Red Wings currently hold a 29-22-6 record as they fight to maintain their Wild Card position.
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