Who says no? To Calgary: Elias Pettersson 2026 4th round pick To Vancouver: Rasmus Andersson Nazem Kadri Etienne Morin 2025 1st Round Pick (NJD)
Should the Flames make a trade for Elias Pettersson?
Photo credit: © Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Jan 6, 2025, 10:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 5, 2025, 20:07 EST
The Vancouver Canucks are a real life soap opera right now. The rumoured riff between star players Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller has become the talk of the hockey world.
If those two can’t repair their relationship, would the Canucks consider trading Elias Pettersson? If they do, should the Calgary Flames make a trade for him?
Let’s break this down from the Flames perspective and see if it makes sense for them to pursue a trade for Pettersson.
The player
Elias Pettersson is a 26 year old highly skilled, smart, cerebral, 200-foot centre… when he is playing to his potential.
He is one of the more interesting players in the NHL. The range of outcome with his game is massive. Probably the widest gap of any player in the NHL.
When he is on his game, Pettersson is one of the best players in the NHL. Look no further than the 2022-23 season when he put up 102 points in 80 games and was regarded as an elite two-way centre.
In the first 55 games of last season, he was 5th in the NHL in scoring with 72 points in 55 games which is a 105 point pace over 82 games. He did all that while maintaining a strong defensive game. People in the hockey world were comparing him to Pavel Datsyuk.
Unfortunately for Pettersson, his game has fallen off a cliff. Since Feb. 16, 2024, Pettersson has only put up 51 points in 74 games (regular season and playoffs combined). A far cry from his 107 point pace from the first 55 games of last season.
It wasn’t just the point production that took a hit. His overall game is no where close to what it once was. There are a lot of nights where Pettersson makes no impact on any aspect of the game. He is a ghost at times. Look no further than the 2024 playoffs. In 13 games, Pettersson scored one goal and five assists. He wasn’t shooting the puck. He was losing nearly every 50/50 puck battle. And he wasn’t able to keep up with the play due to his below average skating.
If you’re acquiring Pettersson, which version are you going to get? The 100 point superstar? Or the struggling player from the last 74 games?
It’s what makes this discussion so fascinating.
Does it make sense for the Flames?
There is one glaring issue with the Flames organization. It’s the fact they are missing a franchise centre.
If you look at successful teams around the NHL, they all have an elite, number one centre.
The Flames don’t have that on their current roster. And they don’t have that in their prospect pipeline.
And where do you acquire those players? It’s normally in the top 5 of the NHL Draft. And as we all know, the Flames have zero interest in bottoming out. They want to remain competitive and fight for a playoff spot despite the fact they are in a re-tool.
The only way for them to acquire an elite centre will either be getting lucky in the draft, or via trade.
For the Flames, a trade is the most logical way to acquire that type of player. On paper, it makes sense for the Flames to pursue a trade involving a number one centre.
But is Pettersson the guy you want to acquire? We already went over his inconsistent play. On top on that, Pettersson is in the first of an eight year contract that pays him $11.6 million per year. That’s the 5th biggest cap hit in the NHL. It’s a massive, long term contract.
The Flames would have to be 100% sure that they acquiring the 100-point Pettersson. Not the one we’ve seen in the last 74 games.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Pettersson is going to be 27 in November 2025. Because of his age, the Flames are going to have to turn things around quickly if they want to take advantage of Pettersson’s prime years.
Are they in a position to start winning as early as next season? They’re going to have to make some significant improvements to the roster if they want to become a legit contender as soon as next season.
What could a trade package look like?
It is a rare occurrence in the NHL for a player with Pettersson’s potential to become available in a trade.
The last two times it’s happened were the Jack Eichel and Matthew Tkachuk trades.
If Pettersson is in fact moved, it’s going to be a massive trade. The Flames are going to have to give up a lot of quality players, prospects and picks to get this done.
Do the Calgary Flames have the assets to make this kind of deal? I think they do.
Vancouver would likely be looking for players to help them win now, and maybe a future asset or two.
The Flames have the assets to get a deal done. But do they want to part with the pieces necessary to get a deal like this done? And would some roster players with trade protection be willing to go to Vancouver?
Here is a cap compliant trade proposal that might get the Canucks attention.
(This is not what I would give up, rather what I think it would take to acquire a player like Pettersson from a division rival).
This deal has a bit of everything for the Canucks.
They get a ready made replacement for Pettersson for the next five years in Kadri.
They get a top four defenceman which they desperately need in Andersson.
And they add to their limited prospect pool with Morin and a draft pick.
For Calgary, they obviously add someone with the potential to be an elite centre. They trade an aging, expensive Kadri. Trading Andersson would hurt, but it’s what it would take to make this trade. And the Flames have a ton of draft picks and prospects on defence.
It’s a lot to give up in a trade, but it’s likely what it would take to make something like this happen. And quite honestly, because it’s a trade within the division, it still might not be enough.
What do the fans think of trading for Pettersson?
That sure feels like the kind of scenario Craig has been hoping for, doesn’t it? Disgruntled star C, needing a change of scenery. When he luckily hits the trade market, you have to go all in.
I don't think Calgary has the pieces; however, if the Canucks decided to rebuild (which I think is premature at this stage), a package around Parekh+ would be a must. I also don't see how this would make any sense for the Flames.
Pettersson is the kind of player you just try to take on your team no matter what's your plan imo
I just don’t see a scenario where Vancouver can win this trade. They need to move him and teams know this. I bet the price won’t be as high as it would. U may get a better deal than you think and not many teams can take on the cap!
Contract efficiency matters so much for contending. I think the age gap for Pettersson from our primary competitive core is too large (as most of them are recently drafted.) If I thought he was the last piece of our puzzle and we would contend this year, sure. Not the case.
Do you think the Flames should pursue a trade for Elias Pettersson? Let us know in the comments!