Elias Pettersson (D): Sources Finally Identify Two Vancouver Canucks at Risk of Being Traded This Offseason
Photo credit: TSN
The Vancouver Canucks' top trade chip that could help the club land some much needed help down the middle at some point this summer has been identified.
It's been speculated for a little while now that the Vancouver Canucks are not done adding to their roster and would like to bring in a centerman, whether that be someone who can fill the hole on the second line or just a depth option in the bottom-six.
Prices around the National Hockey League are reportedly still quite high with a number of teams vying for forward help and for the Vancouver Canucks, it could come down to parting with a top prospect to acquire the piece they desire.
Former Vancouver Canucks shares who he thinks is the team's biggest trade chip
Earlier this week, Matt Sekeres and Blake Price of Sekeres and Price wondered if the Vancouver Canucks would have to move on from someone like defensive prospect Elias Pettersson to land a player like Mason McTavish, a legit second line centerman who is young and can help the club for many years to come.
"Would you trade that kind of a left-shot defenseman for a sure fire, and I think he is a sure fire second line center in McTavish? I think the answer is yes, you do trade that guy." Price said.
Sekeres added, "Like, if you're going to sit here and tell me that Elias Pettersson turns into Jaccob Slavin, then that would give me pause because that's one of the best defensive defenseman on the planet and a very, very valuable piece. But if he falls short of that, I think JFresh has it mostly right. That's a second pairing guy. It's still a valuable piece, particularly with the physicality he plays with, the energy that he plays with. But that's not as valuable as a second line center."
Sekeres added, "Like, if you're going to sit here and tell me that Elias Pettersson turns into Jaccob Slavin, then that would give me pause because that's one of the best defensive defenseman on the planet and a very, very valuable piece. But if he falls short of that, I think JFresh has it mostly right. That's a second pairing guy. It's still a valuable piece, particularly with the physicality he plays with, the energy that he plays with. But that's not as valuable as a second line center."
While Elias Pettersson could net the Vancouver Canucks a decent asset to help right now, former defenseman Frank Corrado believes that another Swedish prospect - Tom Willander - is the bigger trade chip of the two.
"I still would think it's Willander. I still would think the higher end upside for what he can be. Right-handed shot. I think that's a harder commodity to come by. But you have to keep in mind too, you have Mancini. But, at the same time, you don't move a guy just to move a guy because you think the other player is going to be an insurance policy." Corrado said.
He added, "Like if this organization ever decided they were going to move Willander, I would say the return has to be so astronomical, at this point, because you just don't know what he could be. He could be a 15-year, like 25-minute per game stud on both sides of the puck and you just don't know that yet. So that's why maybe you could get the most, but that's also why you would have to get something astronomical to do it."
He added, "Like if this organization ever decided they were going to move Willander, I would say the return has to be so astronomical, at this point, because you just don't know what he could be. He could be a 15-year, like 25-minute per game stud on both sides of the puck and you just don't know that yet. So that's why maybe you could get the most, but that's also why you would have to get something astronomical to do it."
Like Corrado says, the only way you move someone like Tom Willander is if in the return, you get someone who is going to be a big piece for the Canucks roster, such as a top-six forward who can put the puck in the back of the net.
Perhaps that could be someone like Mason McTavish, who would be an excellent fit for the Vancouver Canucks, but even though Tom Willander might be valued very high by the team's management group, would he alone be enough to get a deal done with the Anaheim Ducks or would Patrik Allvin need to attach another asset? It's hard to say.
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