The Vancouver Canucks will finish last in the NHL this season. They have already made some big roster changes. And now NHL insider Elliotte Friedman claims the Canucks organization has another big decision to make: what to do with forward Elias Pettersson.
With 58 points in 81 games, the Canucks are projected to finish dead last in the NHL, over ten points behind the next-worst team, the Chicago Blackhawks.
READ MORE: Insider makes stunning claim about Elias Pettersson
Vancouver Canucks the worst
According to a survey conducted by The Athletic, where over 20 NHL agents were asked, the Canucks were voted the worst-run franchise in the entire NHL by a landslide. The Canucks received seven votes, three more than the next-worst organization, the New York Rangers.
“They’re a mess” and “I don’t know what their plan is,” two of the agents said about the organization.
The Canucks have already traded J.T. Miller, and other players are getting a fresh start. However, forward Elias Pettersson remains on the roster. Since signing his $11.6 million extension in 2024, Pettersson has tallied 45 and 51 points in the two following seasons.
The Elias Petterson problem
Appearing on the Donnie and Dhali podcast. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman said that the Canucks need to have a serious conversation with Pettersson this summer.
“I think the biggest offseason question there is going to be. I would suspect there’s going to be a sit-down with Elias Pettersson after the year and there’s got to be a real conversation about where this is going and what the options are. They have to have a lengthy meeting, put it all on the table and just say, ‘We can’t continue to have this conversation around our team for another year,’” Friedman said on the podcast, and continued:
“You’ve basically cleaned everything out that you had to clean out. It’s sort of like the last thing: ‘Are you committed? Are we here? What can we do to get you back to being the player you were a couple years ago?’ Or does everybody really believe that the right time is to talk about whether there are places you’re willing to go?” Friedman said.
You can watch the interview below.
READ MORE: Elias Pettersson praised for brutal honesty about his season
