Elias Pettersson remains a Vancouver Canuck, and head coach Manny Malhotra may enter camp with his star center still firmly in the picture.
Trade speculation heated up after Pettersson was spotted training in Los Angeles, naturally creating another connection between the 27-year-old and the Los Angeles Kings.
But insider Rick Dhaliwal pushed back hard on that connection. Pettersson's wife is from Los Angeles, giving his offseason location a much simpler explanation than an incoming blockbuster.
The bigger detail is where Vancouver's trade discussions actually stand. According to Dhaliwal, nothing involving Pettersson has come close enough for the Canucks to seek approval for a move.
That matters because Pettersson controls his destination through a no-movement clause. Teams can call Vancouver, but interest and a trade being close are two very different things.
The financial side makes the situation tougher. Pettersson carries an $11,600,000 cap hit, putting him among the NHL's highest-paid players.
Vancouver also enters this conversation after finishing 25-49-8 last season, giving management little room for another year without meaningful progress.
Vancouver may have to let Pettersson rebuild his value
Dhaliwal's reporting points toward patience rather than an immediate exit. The Canucks can bring Pettersson back, give him a major role and see whether his play changes the market.
That puts plenty of pressure on the opening months of the season. A productive Pettersson gives Vancouver options. Another difficult stretch could leave the club facing the same questions with fewer attractive solutions.
Malhotra will also have a major hand in what happens next. His deployment of Pettersson, including top-six minutes and special-teams usage, could directly affect how the center's value looks around the league.
Los Angeles may remain a name that attracts attention whenever Pettersson's future comes up, but his summer training location isn't evidence that a deal is forming.
For now, the most important development is the absence of one. Vancouver hasn't reached the stage where Pettersson has been asked to approve a destination, according to Dhaliwal.
Unless that changes, Pettersson is positioned to report back to Vancouver with a fresh coaching staff, major expectations and another chance to change the direction of the conversation.
Should the Vancouver Canucks trade Elias Pettersson this season?
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