Are the Blackhawks and Canucks Ideal Trade Partners For Elias Pettersson?

Friday, July 10, 2026 ,
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With the Chicago Blackhawks missing Connor Bedard to start the season in recovery from shoulder surgery, general manager Kyle Davidson shouldn't give up on improving the lineup. 

The team will be without their 1C, and would give Frank Nazar or Anton Frondell a shot at a top spot in the lineup. But neither has earned the spot. 

The team could afford to augment their depth down the middle by turning their gaze West and attempting to leverage their assets for the Vancouver Canucks Elias Pettersson. 

Chicago would be an ideal spot for Pettersson to land; it's a low-pressure environment led by head coach Jeff Blashill who's main goal is to develop the roster flush with rookies and prospects. 

While GMKD did acquire veterans Ian Cole, Bowen Byram, and Cole Smith in the off-season, they still need firepower down the middle. That is where Pettersson could come into play. 

Pettersson scored 61 points (16 goals, 35 assists) in 74 games as a Canuck, as he failed to replicate his career-high of 102 points in 2022-23. 

With the fallout from the J.T. Miller saga, needless to say, the Canucks are cleaning house, and Pettersson is on the trade block as they seek to rebuild the lineup. 

What could the Blackhawks pay for the 5th overall pick in 2017?

What Could A Trade For Elias Pettersson Look Like?

The Canucks wouldn't be able to max out their ask with Pettersson, given the last two years he's scored 96 points in 138 games. What would the Blackhawks need to give up for the the Canucks top-center?

In order to maximize the value, the Canucks should entertain retaining a percentage of his $11.6 million AAV salary. 

Utilizing a framework that the Canucks Army uses, we could see the Blackhawks send Tyler Bertuzzi, Oliver Moore, and a 1st-round pick. 

Putting an actual price tag on Pettersson is the tricky bit. An optimist might suggest that the package should still be a somewhat premium one – think Novak, a first-round pick, and one of their better prospects, like McGroarty.  
Others would suggest that the Canucks should count themselves lucky if they walk away with Novak and two of those second round picks.
The Blackhawks would give up significant value, but given how deep the team's prospect pipeline is, it's doubtful they'd miss an extra 1st-round pick. 

The two could be trade partners as they have in the past, but it's difficult to see a move for Pettersson happening now, as it seems the market surrounding him has cooled. 
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