Superstar Centre to Join the Canadiens This Summer? 100-Point Scorer Elias Pettersson May Be on His Way to Montreal
The Vancouver Canucks will have some big decisions to make this summer. In addition to having many players who will become unrestricted free agents, they will need to manage the next contract of the prolific Elias Pettersson.
The latter, who will be a restricted free agent at the end of the current campaign, will surely receive a handsome sum. Petterson, coming off a three-year deal valued at $22.05 million ($7.35 million against the salary cap), is having a very good season. With his 74 points in 60 games, he could surpass his best career season, which was in 2022-2023 when he accumulated 102 points in 80 games.
According to Elliotte Friedman, the Canucks are willing to spend as much money as it takes to sign Pettersson. The fact is that despite this willingness, no agreement has yet been reached between the two parties, which has raised some eyebrows. The hockey insider also mentioned that several teams, seeing the absence of contract extension discussions, have called the Canucks regarding the 25-year-old forward.
Even though the Canucks are currently having a hot season, sitting at the top of the NHL with 82 points, rumors persist that Pettersson might want to leave Vancouver sooner rather than later. In this case, Patrik Allvin, the Canucks' GM, would have no choice but to look at the trade market.
This situation is eerily reminiscent of Pierre-Luc Dubois last summer, who was a restricted free agent and wanted to leave the Winnipeg Jets. He eventually got his wish when he was traded to Los Angeles and signed a lucrative 8-year contract valued at $68 million.
We have often repeated that the summer of 2024 will be an important one for Kent Hughes. The Canadiens' management seems to be targeting this time to move to a new stage of the rebuild, and the addition of a top free agent is definitely not to be overlooked. This player could very well be Elias Pettersson.
Should the rumors be true and Pettersson wants a change of scenery, Kent Hughes would have no choice but to inquire.
As of today, the Canadiens have, according to the website Capfriendly, more than $7 million in cap space for next season with only Jesse Ylonen, Arber Xhekaj, and Justin Barron to sign who will be restricted free agents. Adding here Price's contract which could still go on LTIR and the Canadiens will have more than $17 million in cap space.
Knowing that the forward could be the young player missing from the organization to move to the next step, attempting to acquire him is almost a must.
Friedman said the Canucks are ready to throw as much money as it will take to sign Pettersson, $11M, $12M AAV, they are ready but they're waiting for Pettersson's go ahead and that has not happened yet.
This makes me raise an eyebrow
Even former Hab and current analyst Max Lapierre believes the Canadiens should go all in on Pettersson:
As Read on Marqueur
| POLL | ||
Would you sign Elias Pettersson for 11 million per year for 8 years? | ||
| Yes | 389 | 57.5 % |
| No | 288 | 42.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
