Canucks: Overreaction trade Vancouver must make to increase lottery odds

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Almost nothing is going right for the Vancouver Canucks in the early stages of the 2026-27 NHL season, as they suffered their 13th regulation loss in just 17 games on Tuesday evening, continuing their extremely tough start to the campaign.

Their latest defeat came at the hands of divisional rival Anaheim Ducks, who held on for a 5-4 victory at Rogers Arena in downtown Vancouver, leaving the Canucks three points behind the next-lowest team, the Los Angeles Kings, in the Pacific Division standings.

One of Vancouver’s regular contributors so far this season is forward Elias Pettersson, who picked up a pair of assists as part of the loss to the Ducks, increasing his total to 14 so far in 17 games played. As of now, Pettersson is on pace to rebound to 20 goals and 69 assists, which would give him his highest point total since reaching 89 points in 2023-24.

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However, it’s time for Canucks general manager Ryan Johnson, who took over the role during the summer from the fired Patrik Allvin, to give more serious consideration to trading the Swedish star forward, given the fact that all signs point toward the Canucks once again being a lottery team this season.

Canucks need to finally trade Elias Pettersson and recoup assets

Pettersson has been one of the most talked-about players in trade rumors over the past year. Last season, the Canucks made several significant moves, including trading captain and former Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild. They also traded forwards Conor Garland and Kiefer Sherwood, as well as defenseman Tyler Myers.

Pettersson, however, remained in Vancouver. The prevailing belief is that his $11.6 million salary cap hit has discouraged potential suitors, especially given that his production has declined in recent seasons. It’s encouraging, though, to see Pettersson producing at a pace that more closely resembles the player Vancouver paid him to be when they signed him to the aforementioned extension.

Still, his talents could be better utilized by a team with legitimate Stanley Cup aspirations rather than a club that can realistically start planning its summer vacation by February.

The Canucks finished last in the NHL standings last season but ultimately fell to third in the draft lottery. That cost them the opportunity to select consensus No. 1 pick Gavin McKenna, who was taken by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Vancouver instead used its pick on forward Caleb Malhotra, the son of head coach Manny Malhotra.

As Vancouver and other NHL teams have learned in recent years, finishing last doesn’t guarantee the first overall pick. It does, however, significantly improve a team’s chances of winning the lottery.

Trading Pettersson could help Vancouver ensure another low finish in the standings, giving the organization better odds of securing the top pick. The Canucks could also acquire multiple assets in return, similar to the Hughes trade, that could be used to accelerate their rebuilding process.

Canucks: Overreaction trade Vancouver must make

Pettersson is under contract through 2032, and Vancouver would likely need to retain some of his salary to facilitate a trade. However, if the goal is to improve their lottery odds, moving on from the Swedish forward, as the Canucks have reportedly been seriously considering for some time, could be a logical first step.

Now 3-13-1, Vancouver returns to action against the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre on Thursday night, the start of a brief two-game road trip.