Elias Pettersson was supposed to be “the guy” for  Vancouver Canucks. Signing that massive $92.8 million contract wasn’t a deal—it was a commitment, a symbol of conviction that he was the franchise’s pillar. The top-line goal-scorer who could drive Vancouver deep into the playoffs. But after a disappointing showing in the 4 Nations Face-Off, those visions are starting to shatter, and speculation on what’s ahead for the Canucks with Pettersson gets louder with every day.

Now, the reality of trading a player like Pettersson isn’t quite as simple as picking up the phone and making a couple of calls. This is a $92.8 million commitment we’re working with, in the very firs year of his contract. But on the other hand, the Canucks need to be weighing their options, especially after his latest performances for Sweden. Still, they’re in charge of his future for the time being but not for much longer, because his no-move clause triggers on July 1st. If they want to move him, this could be their best real window of opportunity.

There’s also the grand matter of where they can possibly trade him to. Despite the underperformances, there’s still a quality player in there who many teams would love to have, but that $11.6 million AAV muddies the water. There are only a couple of franchises realistically equipped to take on his contract but Vancouver isn’t going to throw him away. If they choose to trade him, they’re going to want a big offer to take him away.

For now, everything hinges on what the Canucks believe. Do they still regard Pettersson as a keystone player, or are they starting to reassess? His lackluster performances at the 4 Nations Face-Off may be nothing more than a bad stretch of form or may be indicative of more significant problems. Whatever the case, there’s one thing for certain—the front office needs to decide quickly, with the trade deadline closing in and their playoff hopes resting on a knife’s edge.

Disappointment at the 4 Nations Face-Off for Elias Pettersson

The tournament has been a stage for some of the best stars of the NHL to come together and show off their skills. For Elias Pettersson, it should have served as a reminder as to why’s considered one of the best forwards of the NHL when he’s on his game. But what happened, instead, was that he left with zero points and a meager 9 minutes and 54 seconds of ice time in Sweden’s final game.

That’s not a just bad tournament—it’s a bright red flag. His ice time went down in every single game, from 16:32 in the opener, down to 14:10 in the second, then down even lower, barely being on the ice for Sweden’s only win.

And worst of all, Sweden didn’t even have top-line players such as Mika Zibanejad and Rickard Rakell, against Team USA leaving plenty of space for Pettersson to assert himself. But instead of seizing the reins, he faded into the background.

For Canucks’ supporters, this’s a bitter pill to swallow. This is the same player whom they’ve locked up for the future with a bumper contract. Putting up numbers like these is concerning and fans will desperately be hoping for a miraculous turnaround, should he stay in Vancouver.

The timing of this slump couldn’t be worse, with the Canucks needing their best players on their A-game for the playoff push. If Pettersson finds his way, the anxieties may pass. But if not, the NHL trade landscape is about to grow very interesting.