Latest news with #EliasPettersson
National Post
6 hours ago
- Business
- National Post
Two glaring omissions in the Canucks' current marketing campaign
Article content Plenty of people have taken note that Elias Pettersson is prominently absent from the Vancouver Canucks' current ticket sales efforts. Article content There is a Facebook advertisement that caught everyone's eye, for a start. Pettersson is not visible in it. Article content Article content And if you click on the Canucks' season ticket membership website, the video that plays at the top does not feature the visage of the team's best-paid player, just a fan sign that features his number. Article content Is this because he's on the trade block? Maybe. Is it because his image carries too much negative connotations for fans right now? Perhaps also. Article content Either way, what a spot to be in, given where Pettersson's star was 18 months ago, when he was one of the NHL's stars of the month. You can't even market the guy who is supposed to be one of your most marketable stars? Article content That's one thing to note. Article content But there's another face missing from the same imagery that should stand out more — goalie Thatcher Demko. Article content Kevin Lankinen is in the website video. But Demko, still the Canucks' No. 1 guy in the crease, is not. Article content It does make you wonder if Demko is quietly being shopped around. One league source said that trading Demko made sense to them since he is a solid trade chip, even if he is coming off multiple seasons in a row with injuries, and could help bring back the kind of No. 2 centre the Canucks openly covet. Article content Another source said management is looking to 'get rid of the emotionally soft, diva, drama-type, cancerous players, without doing a traditional rebuild.' Article content Article content Line that up as you will. Article content Article content Fans know this dressing room was a mess this past season. There has long been frustration with management and coaches over some aspects of the team culture that they inherited when president Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin took over in 2022. Article content There was too much entitlement, they felt, amongst a group of players that had very little to show for their work to date. Sure, the 2020 bubble playoff run was an impressive thing, but that was all they had in their cap. That was the only playoff run this group had put together to that point. Article content And that's why Allvin in his first end-of-season news conference made note of what he wanted to see from his players in the future. He wanted to see more. He wanted to see a get-it-done attitude. He wanted to see players who focused on the task and got on with the job. Article content There certainly have been rumours that management has been frustrated with how some players have prepared themselves. How they have worked to get back from injury. How they have operated once they have been cleared to return.
The Province
7 hours ago
- Sport
- The Province
Two glaring omissions in the Canucks' current marketing campaign
Yes, Elias Pettersson is missing from the Canucks' latest marketing imagery, but Thatcher Demko is missing too — and that's very notable Get the latest from Patrick Johnston straight to your inbox Canucks banners outside Rogers Arena in the spring of 2024. Photo by Arlen Redekop / PNG Plenty of people have taken note that Elias Pettersson is prominently absent from the Vancouver Canucks' current ticket sales efforts. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors There is a Facebook advertisement that caught everyone's eye, for a start. Pettersson is not visible in it. And if you click on the Canucks' season ticket membership website, the video that plays at the top does not feature the visage of the team's best-paid player, just a fan sign that features his number. Is this because he's on the trade block? Maybe. Is it because his image carries too much negative connotations for fans right now? Perhaps also. Either way, what a spot to be in, given where Pettersson's star was 18 months ago, when he was one of the NHL's stars of the month. You can't even market the guy who is supposed to be one of your most marketable stars? That's one thing to note. But there's another face missing from the same imagery that should stand out more — goalie Thatcher Demko. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Kevin Lankinen is in the website video. But Demko, still the Canucks' No. 1 guy in the crease, is not. It does make you wonder if Demko is quietly being shopped around. One league source said that trading Demko made sense to them since he is a solid trade chip, even if he is coming off multiple seasons in a row with injuries, and could help bring back the kind of No. 2 centre the Canucks openly covet. Another source said management is looking to 'get rid of the emotionally soft, diva, drama-type, cancerous players, without doing a traditional rebuild.' Line that up as you will. Fans know this dressing room was a mess this past season. There has long been frustration with management and coaches over some aspects of the team culture that they inherited when president Jim Rutherford and general manager Patrik Allvin took over in 2022. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. There was too much entitlement, they felt, amongst a group of players that had very little to show for their work to date. Sure, the 2020 bubble playoff run was an impressive thing, but that was all they had in their cap. That was the only playoff run this group had put together to that point. And that's why Allvin in his first end-of-season news conference made note of what he wanted to see from his players in the future. He wanted to see more. He wanted to see a get-it-done attitude. He wanted to see players who focused on the task and got on with the job. There certainly have been rumours that management has been frustrated with how some players have prepared themselves. How they have worked to get back from injury. How they have operated once they have been cleared to return. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Fair or not, that's been an internal frustration. Is it possible to re-set this team in a direction that Rutherford, especially, believes this group needs to go? He has won three Stanley Cups, after all. He knows what winning teams look and sound and feel like. It's not hard to fathom how frustrated he would have felt this past season. The question is: Can they do this re-set this summer? They don't have a ton of resources to work with, but they do still have a handful of appealing ones. 'They have ammo,' one league source said. 'Demko, Hoglander, Willander, Lekkerimäki and the 14th overall pick. But is there a plan, or are they just shuffling deck chairs around?' Yogi's off — Multiple reports Wednesday said that Yogi Svejkovsky, who served as one of Rick Tocchet's assistants this season after several years as the team's skills coach, is off to Philadelphia to join Tocchet's staff with the Flyers. pjohnston@ Read More
New York Times
8 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Ranking the Canucks' top 13 trade assets: What trade chips could be in play?
The Vancouver Canucks want to improve significantly in the wake of a wildly disappointing 2024-25 campaign, which went decisively off of the rails. Unfortunately for the Canucks, however, there are about 25-30 other NHL member clubs that will similarly enter this offseason with significant plans to rapidly improve, and several of those teams have more purchasing power — in terms of cap space — and valuable future assets with which to draw from in pursuing star-level contributors at the top of the lineup. Advertisement With the NHL's silly season about to grind into full gear in the weeks ahead, let's take an inventory of what sorts of assets the Canucks could potentially utilize on the trade market in pursuit of the significant offensive upgrades that the club requires in their top six. What follows is our ranking of Vancouver's 13 top trade assets, including our best-educated guess on the availability of those assets. Status: It's complicated Stats: 64 GP, 15 G – 30 A – 45 Pts Storyline: After a disappointing stretch run during the 2023-24 campaign, and a tough go of it during the club's 2024 Stanley Cup Playoff run, Elias Pettersson's form continued to deteriorate in the first year of his new maximum term, $11.6 million annual average value mega contract. Pettersson's pace was off, his shot velocity was down, his relationship with J.T. Miller was a distraction to the point that the team deemed their partnership unworkable and he played with little joy and even less juice. It wasn't the version of Pettersson that we've become accustomed too, or that the club committed to when they got his autograph on that fateful deal. At the start of the next league year on July 1, Pettersson will gain a full no-move clause. The club doesn't view that deadline as something altogether that meaningful — the club was able to get positive value for both Miller and Carson Soucy despite both players possessing full no-move or no-trade protection, respectively — but it's a factor to be mindful of. It will further limit Vancouver's options, if the decision is made in the future to part ways with the club's struggling superstar centre. Does the organization believe that Pettersson can find his game and bounce back? Can he lead this team to success in the Stanley Cup playoffs? Can the club really find a better option that hoping for the best, given that they already need at least one top-six centre? Advertisement Given that Vancouver's priority is returning to contention, and given the virtual impossibility of acquiring a centre with higher upside this summer, holding onto Pettersson feels like the most likely course of action. It's not an especially straightforward call, however, given just how concerning Pettersson's showing was last season. Status: Essentially untouchable Stats:39 GP (NCAA), 2 G – 22 A – 24 Pts Storyline: Willander is a high-pedigree, blue-chip prospect with the position and handedness that many teams would value at a premium. He looked a bit raw at times during his freshman campaign with Boston University but was significantly more polished and efficient as a shutdown, all-situations ace during his sophomore season. He also performed well for Team Sweden at the World Juniors, a prominent stage where prospects can leave a lasting impression on NHL evaluators. Of course, the reasons that rival teams would covet Willander are also the exact reasons why the Canucks would be deeply reluctant to trade Willander, especially now that he has signed an entry-level contract. Tyler Myers is 35; he won't be able to play top-four minutes on the right side forever — that's where Willander is a key long-term successor. It's also generally rare to see Grade-A prospects of Willander's calibre moved these days unless they're players like Rutger McGroarty or Cutter Gauthier, who weren't willing to sign with the teams that drafted them. It would probably take an opportunity to land a young superstar forward for the Canucks to even entertain the idea of including Willander in a trade. Status: Essentially untouchable Stats: 23 GP, 10-8-3 .889 sv% Storyline: Thatcher Demko endured a nightmare 2024-25 campaign injury-wise. The 29-year-old puck stopper didn't make his debut until December 10th, as a result of an unprecedented knee tear sustained during the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs. He struggled on his return and looked out of rhythm, relative to his usual extremely lofty standard, and then sustained two additional injuries that resulted in long-term absences. Advertisement Entering the final year of his contract, Demko has indicated a willingness to sign an extension this summer. The club is open to that too, club sources indicate, provided that the risk on his next deal — which is significant — is shared between the player and the team. In other words, the Canucks are willing to roll the dice on a Demko extension. The organization still believes strongly in the 2024 Vezina Trophy nominee as a player and competitor, but the significance of the risk that his run of injuries now presents will have to be priced into his next deal. Vancouver wants to get back to contending with the big dog teams in the Pacific Division next season, and their potential edge in net with a tandem of Demko and Kevin Lankinen is viewed as a weapon internally towards that end. The club's preference, clearly, is to retain Demko and workout a favourable extension. If that proves to be untenable, however, the club did sign Lankinen to a five-year extension a few months ago, and goaltender Artūrs Šilovs has been a star performer in the Calder Cup playoffs after a difficult, inconsistent year at both the NHL and AHL levels. Depending how extension talks unfold and what Demko's market value is around the league, this could be a fascinating situation to monitor this off-season. Make no mistake though, the club knows that they're better off with Demko in the fold — provided that he stays healthy. Retaining him is clearly the club's top choice. Status: Essentially untouchable Stats: 24 GP, 3 G – 3 A – 6 Pts Storyline: The Canucks are starved for genuine top-six talent. Lekkerimäki may not hit that level immediately next season — it's unrealistic to think he can immediately replace all of pending free agent Brock Boeser's production — but it isn't farfetched to think that he could contribute 15-20 goals in a middle-six NHL role in 2025-26 if things break right. Lekkerimäki's first taste of North American hockey this season has been mostly successful, despite his inconsistent playoff performance with the Abbotsford Canucks. He scored more than half a goal per game in 36 AHL regular season games. He wasn't a big producer during his 24 NHL games, but he showed exciting flashes at times, and his defensive play was surprisingly reliable and risk-free. Advertisement Lekkerimäki needs to pack on extra weight this summer to withstand the physical rigours of the NHL, but he's close enough to the big leagues and has a high enough ceiling that Vancouver probably isn't willing to part ways with him, especially since smaller wingers often aren't rated as highly on the trade market by teams as they perhaps should be. Status: Available Storyline: It'd be pretty surprising if the Canucks held on to this year's No.15 pick. Jim Rutherford already stated that his front office is more likely to get its shopping done on the trade market rather than free agency. Vancouver would almost certainly prefer trading the No.15 pick to service the club's forward needs rather than its top prospects. Logically, it makes sense: Whoever you draft at No.15 probably won't be NHL-ready for 3-4 years, whereas the likes of Willander, Lekkerimäki, and Elias Pettersson the defenceman could help Vancouver as soon as next season. 2025 isn't considered to be the strongest draft class, but first-round picks aren't created equal — the Canucks' No.15 pick will be more valuable than some of the late first-round picks that other clubs may shop ahead of the draft. Status: Available for the right price Storyline: Vancouver intends to be aggressive this season. This is a management team that's keen to swing the bat, and add top-end talent to their lineup this summer. And that won't be easy to do without some level of pain. Could that include the club trading more than the 15th overall pick in 2025? Might they consider trading a conditional (lottery protected) 2026 first-round pick? It's definitely possible, but it would require a special, young star-level contributor to hit the market this summer. Think more Jason Robertson than Pavel Zacha, in terms of the quality of player we're talking about here. Advertisement This one seems like a far more remote possibility than the Canucks parting with their 2025 first-round pick. If a unique opportunity to add a truly elite young goal scoring forward this summer, however, the Canucks could plausibly be tempted to fire all available weapons. Status: Untouchable Stats: 28 GP, 1 G – 3 A – 4 Pts Storyline: The Canucks are sky-high on physical young defender Elias Pettersson and enter the offseason steadfast in their refusal to consider trading him. The club values the rare profile, in terms of his nasty physical play and combination of size and skating ability, but he's an untouchable because he combines all of that with a precocious brand of authority that he's brought to a locker room in need of character contributors. As much as Vancouver is willing to make some gut wrenching decisions in order to improve themselves this summer Pettersson, the defender, is off the table. Status: Available for the right price Stats: 72 GP, 8 G – 15 A – 23 Pts Höglander landed in Rick Tocchet's doghouse this season and slumped to just 25 points in 72 games, a far cry from his 24-goal breakout in 2023-24. The silver lining is that he was one of the Canucks' best wingers from January onward, especially from a play-driving perspective. The Canucks could really benefit from Höglander's combination of speedy play-driving, hard-nosed forechecking, and secondary offence, but the front office needs to have an honest conversation with new head coach Adam Foote to make sure they're on the same page. If Foote believes in Höglander and is willing to give him a longer leash, then the value of keeping Höglander would exceed his modest trade value. On the other hand, if Foote doesn't view Höglander as a top-nine fixture, then the club may be better off trading him and reallocating his $3 million cap hit. Small, non-elite wingers don't usually carry a lot of value on the trade market, but Höglander's sparkling underlying numbers and the fact that his $3 million AAV is more digestible with the spiking salary cap should make him a more valuable asset than he was six months ago. Advertisement Status: Available for the right price Stats: 31 GP, 2 G – 6 A – 8 Pts Storyline: Mancini is enjoying a stellar playoff run as Abbotsford's No.1 defenceman. The hype train is building for him locally, but that doesn't necessarily mean his stock is exploding around the league. He's already 23, which means teams likely wouldn't view him as having a lot of development runway left, nor does he have high-end draft pedigree or standout offensive statistics. Mancini's enticing combo of size and skating would still make him an appealing project, though, especially as a right-shot defender. And yes, his strong playoff run will help his value. But in trade talks, he's more likely to be viewed as an attractive secondary piece rather than the centrepiece in a package that lands an impact forward. We imagine that the Canucks would be open to including Mancini in a trade for the right player, given that they already have two exciting, up-and-coming defence prospects with higher potential than him in Willander and Pettersson. Status: Available Stats: 82 GP, 8 G – 18 A – 26 Pts Storyline: Blueger's availability this summer isn't so much about his performance as it is the club's roster and cap situation. Filip Chytil will slot in as the Canucks' third-line centre in the likely scenario that the club adds a 2C this summer. That leaves Blueger occupying the 4C role, which blocks Aatu Räty's path to a full-time centre job in the NHL. Trading Blueger would clear the path for Räty, plus open up an additional $1.8 million of cap space. In 2023, the Penguins received a third-round pick when trading Blueger as a rental to Vegas. He owns a modified no-trade clause with a 12-team no-trade list, according to PuckPedia, so that would be one hurdle to navigate. Status: Available for the right price Stats: 21 GP (AHL), 14-5-1 .908 Sv% Šilovs is on an incredible heater in Abbotsford, pitching a .930 save percentage through 16 playoff games. That's helping salvage what was otherwise a disappointing NHL showing and a decent but unspectacular AHL regular season in 2024-25. Advertisement In an ideal world, the Canucks would keep Šilovs as their third-string goaltender next season. He's an interesting project because of his raw athleticism and is still young enough to develop into an NHL netminder one day. The problem is that Šilovs will require waivers to be sent down next season. Šilovs may still be able to sneak through waivers because his overall professional resume has been inconsistent, but Vancouver's front office will have to weigh the risk of him getting claimed against the trade value he may have this summer. The Canucks went through a similar dilemma with Vasily Podkolzin last summer and opted to trade him to Edmonton for a fourth-round pick. Non-elite goaltending prospects, especially ones requiring waivers, aren't usually a hot commodity, so don't expect Silovs' trade value to be too high. With that said, it's conceivable that a goalie-starved organization may want to roll the dice on his raw talent if the acquisition cost this summer is relatively low. Status: Available for the right price Storyline: The Canucks have a host of younger players in the 23-to-26-year-old range who appear to be capable of challenging for a full-time job at the NHL level as soon as next season. These aren't players that are likely to have significant exchange value, although there are talent evaluators around the league that strongly admire some of Vancouver's younger organizational depth pieces. The Canucks won't give these sorts of players away, but could utilize them as part of a larger package to land the top-six contributor (or two) that Vancouver craves. Status: Available What's the value of a second-round pick, or a mid-round pick, or a late-round pick, given the Canucks' priorities and the organizational urgency to get back into the playoff mix next season? These less valuable picks are, surely, already squarely burning a hole in the pockets of Canucks management. (Top photo of Nils Höglander:)
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sharks Reveal 'Tyler Tofurry' For 2025 Stanley Pup Competition
The San Jose Sharks have revealed their representative for the 2025 Stanley 'Pup' Competition, and the pup's name is Tyler Tofurry. All 32 NHL teams will be represented by a dog during an hour-long special, most of which will be available for adoption from a shelter or rescue group in their respective city. Advertisement The event, which airs June 6-9, showcases the rescue dogs competing head-to-head in challenges to determine a winner. Tim Allen, Cedric the Entertainer, Cheri Oteri, George Lopez, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Bublé, Nikki Glaser, Paula Abdul, and Will Reeve are all expected to make special guest appearances, according to the NHL's website. Sharks forward Tyler Toffoli is expected to be in attendance for the event, as well. Sharks Should Target Jamie Benn If He Hits Free Agency Sharks Should Target Jamie Benn If He Hits Free Agency The San Jose Sharks are expected to become active heading toward the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, and one thing they may look to do this summer is add some veteran depth to their lineup. While they will likely gauge the trade market, they may be big spenders when free agency opens up, and one veteran forward they should target if he tests the open market is Jamie Benn. Elias Pettersson Shouldn't Be On The Sharks' Radar Elias Pettersson Shouldn't Be On The Sharks' Radar There has been a ton of rumours this season about Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson and whether or not he'll be traded. After the deadline passed and they moved on from J.T. Miller, it felt like Pettersson was going to stick around. But over the last few days, reports have come up that the Canucks could look to move him before his full no-movement clause kicks in on July 1. Sharks Insider Suggests William Eklund Could Fetch $52.5 Million Contract Extension Sharks Insider Suggests William Eklund Could Fetch $52.5 Million Contract Extension The San Jose Sharks are going to look a little different next season, and despite what changes they plan to make this summer, one of their own players is eligible for an extension and could be looking at a massive extension, according to a trusted Sharks insider.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
NHL Insider Doesn't Hold Back on Sabres' Interest in $92M Star
NHL Insider Doesn't Hold Back on Sabres' Interest in $92M Star originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Buffalo Sabres are entering a massive offseason after missing the postseason. The team finished toward the bottom of the Atlantic Division with a record of 36-39-7. Advertisement Buffalo wants to get back to competing, but the roster will need some upgrades to make that happen. The Sabres haven't made the postseason in 14 years, but could look to make a splash this offseason. One name that makes sense for Buffalo is star Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver is reportedly considering trading the star, and Buffalo has shown interest in the past. The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta again linked the two in his latest column. 'I am curious to see if the Sabres circle back on Elias Pettersson in Vancouver,' Pagnotta said. 'It does not sound like the price tag has changed much, if at all, so a team will have to pay up to pry him out of B.C. Do the Sabres take another swing? They surely won't be the lone team to try.' Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner (16) tries to slow up Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (40) during the third period at Scotiabank E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images Landing Pettersson could change everything for the Sabres. Pettersson is one of the better players in the league, and he could bring some extra stability to this Buffalo organization. Advertisement The Canucks are coming off a disappointing year, so they could be in line to make some big moves. This could be a win-win for both sides if a trade went down. Last season, the star put up 15 goals and 30 assists, in what was a down year for him. Pettersson could give Buffalo a true star to pair alongside Tage Thompson, as the team looks to snap the long playoff drought. Related: Oilers Predicted to Finally Break Long Canada Stanley Cup Curse Related: Irony Hits Wayne Gretzky 2025 Stanley Cup Final Prediction This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
