Vancouver Canucks

In the midst of another stellar season that has catapulted the Vancouver Canucks to the top of the Western Conference standings, Elias Pettersson has agreed to a contract extension that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NHL.

Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin announced they have agreed to terms on an eight-year extension with Pettersson.

Per Chris Johnston of The Athletic and TSN, Pettersson will earn $92.8 million total with $47 million being paid out in signing bonuses and the deal contains a full no-movement clause.

"I am very happy to be continuing my career as a member of the Vancouver Canucks. I love this city and playing in front of the fans. We have an exciting group and believe we can do good things in the future," Pettersson said in a statement about his new contract.

Pettersson was in the final season of a three-year, $22.1 million contract he originally signed in October 2021.

The $92.8 million total value for Petterson's new contract makes it the fifth-richest deal in the NHL. It ranks just ahead of the $92 million deals for Erik Karlsson and William Nylander.

Petterson's $11.6 million average annual salary is sixth among all players. It's just behind the $11.64 million yearly salary for Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews.

The 25-year-old center recorded a career-high 102 points during the 2022-23 season. He's on a similar pace so far this season with 75 points in 62 games played. His point total ranks 10th in the league.

Petterson and J.T. Miller, who leads the Canucks with 82 points, are now under contract together through 2029-30.

Vancouver has been one of the most pleasant surprises in the NHL this season. The club is tied with the New York Rangers for the third-most points in the league (83), one behind the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers for the top spot.

The Canucks' 83 points this season matches their total from all of last season with 20 games left to play. They are on track to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign.

The Vancouver Canucks have given permission to Conor Garland to seek a trade, Elliotte Friedman reported.

Fittingly, it was Garland who kicked off the 2023-24 season for Vancouver by scoring the team's first goal Thursday, putting the puck past goalie Jack Campbell and igniting an 8-1 shellacking of the Edmonton Oilers.

Not only was Garland instrumental in the Canucks' attempts to erase years of slow starts to the season, but he proved why Vancouver simply cannot afford to send him packing.

Garland has always put himself second, doing what was necessary for the team to win. He is not a flashy player, is not concerned with his stat line, and with the exception of the 2019-20 season, is more likely to pass the puck to a teammate to score than to take the shot himself.

He is a starter for a Canucks team that currently has no less than five different players injured or ill, severely depleting the team's depth. It is also unlikely that the team will be able to get enough in return to replace him in the starting lineup.

Considering the dire salary cap situation Vancouver finds itself in, it makes sense that the team would be looking to offload a player or two to give itself breathing room. Garland currently counts as $4.9 million against the cap.

At what point does the desire for cap space supersede the team's ability to field a competitive team? A single injury or long-term illness for a player or two could adversely affect the squad's ability to compete, especially if the organization finds a taker for Garland and his contract.

It is a testament to the player himself that he addressed all questions about the latest rumors, managed to compartmentalize them, and kicked off the scoring the way he did against Edmonton.

In a season where the Canucks finished sixth in the Pacific Division and have hopes of returning to prominence, getting rid of a locker room leader and selfless teammate in hopes of creating breathing room for a front office that got themselves into the situation that they are currently in, feels like a misstep and one that will hurt ultimately hurt this team more than it will help.

He is not flashy, is not going to win a league scoring title, or create a ton of buzz for any team he is on, but Garland is the type of focused veteran with a desire to win and those are the players who make up the foundation of championship squads.

Something Vancouver badly wants to be for the first time since it was introduced to the NHL in 1970.

Brock Boeser has spent his entire seven-year NHL career with the Vancouver Canucks. But could his situation change before the trade deadline?

After 3 p.m. ET on Friday, the league's 32 teams can no longer swing deals during the 2022-23 season. And between now and then, plenty of moves could occur. It's already been an eventful week with quite a few notable trades having been completed.

While some players have been dealt, others are being featured in rumors. The latter group includes Boeser, a 26-year-old forward who has been a consistent scorer throughout his career.

On Tuesday, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported there was "lots of smoke" surrounding the Canucks and that talks involving Boeser had been "picking up." Things can change quickly this time of year, though.

TSN's Darren Dreger reported Wednesday that there's a "moving target" regarding the probability of Boeser getting traded before the deadline. Dreger noted there's interest in Boeser, but Vancouver "isn't keen on retaining money."

"A bad contract coming back or 30-40% retention may be required to get something done by the deadline," Dreger tweeted. "Otherwise, a summer move is more likely."

So perhaps Boeser will still be with the Canucks this weekend after all. If so, that may not be the worst thing for either side.

In 52 games this season, Boeser has only 11 goals, meaning he's in jeopardy of finishing with fewer than 20 for only the second time in the past six seasons. He also has a plus-minus of minus-22 after never having one worse than minus-five in his NHL career.

Part of the reason for that is because Vancouver has struggled. But Boeser hasn't quite been himself, either, which may be negatively affecting his trade stock. The Canucks may not get much of a return for him, and as Dreger noted, they may have to take on a big contract in order to move Boeser.

If Vancouver can get decent draft capital in such a deal, it could still be wise to trade Boeser. Otherwise, it may be better off to wait.

Boeser still has two more seasons on his contract, as he isn't set to become an unrestricted free agent until 2025. He's not getting paid a huge salary, either, as he's making $6.65 million each year.

Because Boeser has a track record of being a strong offensive player, there's reason to believe he'll play better in the 2023-24 season, especially if the Canucks improve the roster around him a bit. Then, they could trade Boeser and get a better return.

Or maybe the market will be a bit different by the summer. It's always changing, and Vancouver is in a position to be patient and wait to see how it develops for Boeser.

So for now, the Canucks may not want to move Boeser. The list of potential trade partners may be dwindling, anyway.

Pagnotta had reported that Vancouver had "serious discussions" about Boeser with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who were showing "genuine interest." But the Pens acquired center Mikael Granlund in a trade with the Nashville Predators on Wednesday, so perhaps they'll no longer be pursuing Boeser.

The Canucks shouldn't feel a sense of urgency to move Boeser. In the long run, it may benefit them more to hold on to him at least a bit longer.