5 Teams Linked To Elias Pettersson In Latest Rumors

One of the biggest names to watch this coming offseason on the trade market is undoubtedly Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson. With six more years to run on his $92.8 million contract ($11.6M AAV), an extremely intriguing situation could unfold.

Which teams can afford to take on a cap hit like that, and which teams are willing to gamble that they can get Pettersson back to his 102-point form of three years ago?

For the second straight season, EP40 is having an extremely disappointing time of it with the Canucks, registering just 15 goals and 43 points in 63 games, almost identical to what he posted last season in 64 games. He was in several rumors near the trade deadline, but obviously, nothing came to fruition.

Stephen Roget of Canucks Army writes that Pettersson is "a player who is so far removed from (his) previous best, that it’s a legitimate question whether it is even possible for him to ever get back there, never mind probable."

Nevertheless, Roget proposed five teams that, in some way, shape or form, could be a fit for a Pettersson trade this summer. Let's have a look:

Carolina Hurricanes

He calls this the "logical" choice, as the Canes have shown interest in EP40 in the past. With plenty of cap space, it's a fit financially, as well. And on the ice, he'd be the ideal No. 2 center for Carolina, filling out a solid top-six along with Sebastian Aho, Logan Stankoven, Seth Jarvis, Andrei Svechnikov, and Jackson Blake.

Detroit Red Wings

Stevie Y did acquire a top-four defenseman in Justin Faulk at the blueline, but most Red Wings observers don't consider that the 'big swing' they feel the GM needed to take. Would Pettersson fit that description?

As Roget notes, there's "not much in place" beyond Dylan Larkin down the middle of the ice in Detroit, and they were linked as a potential destination for Pettersson as buzz grew around the deadline. He also notes that with the 'value' contracts they got Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond signed to (relative to the exploding cap situation and soaring salaries), they could "overspend" on a contract like Pettersson's, and not be hurt too much by it.

LA Kings

Another team that was linked to Pettersson near the deadline, the Kings do need to find a replacement for their iconic center Anze Kopitar, who is retiring at season's end. They also have plenty of cap room, and could fit EP40's massive cap hit into their structure.

NY Islanders

The theory here is that reuniting Pettersson with Bo Horvat certainly couldn't do the Swede any harm. He had his breakout seasons while a teammate of Horvat's. For the Islanders, while deadline acquistion Brayden Schenn provides some strong leadership and veteran Stanley Cup pedigree, as a top-six option offensively he's not really the answer anymore. The Isles are ready to take a step forward, thanks to Matthew Schaefer, so why not take a big swing on EP40?

Pittsburgh Penguins

As Roget notes, "if we were to pick out a leader capable of sparking a real comeback in Pettersson, who better than Crosby, one of the greatest leaders this sport has ever seen?"

As GM Kyle Dubas continues the Penguins' desire to get younger, while being surprisingly competitive, Pettersson, still just 27, can potentially fit into both categories.