Elias Pettersson trade discussions shift after Elliotte Friedman's update

Monday had Canucks fans doom scrolling again, because the Elias Pettersson and Filip Hronek names keep popping up in every corner of the league.

The latest twist came through an NHLTradeAlert post that pointed to Oilers Now from Monday, with Elliotte Friedman saying he has no indication Pettersson is willing to waive his NMC right now.

If that is true, a big chunk of the current chatter is basically air, because a full no move clause is the player holding the steering wheel.

Friedman also mentioned Hronek in the same breath, and that is important because Vancouver does not have many right shot minutes to spare on the blue line.

Here is the post that kicked the whole thing back up.

Pettersson is 27, drafted in 2017 round 1 fifth overall by Vancouver, and he is a franchise level bet on the cap sheet with an $11.6 million hit.

Hronek is 28, drafted in 2016 round 2 fifty third overall by Detroit, and he carries a $7.25 million cap hit that reflects top pair usage when the fit is right.

The key line in the Friedman message is that teams need to give Vancouver an offer that makes them want to ask Pettersson in the first place, because asking is not free.

If you are the Canucks, you do not poke that bear unless the return is massive and clean, because once a player feels pushed, everything gets louder.

Honestly, this feels like the fanbase is tired of the constant smoke, but also scared of standing still while the Western race keeps tightening.

On the ice, the logic is simple, Pettersson is a matchup center, and when his pace is there, he drives the top six and makes the man advantage look less predictable.

Off the ice, the logic is colder, a full NMC changes the market from thirty two possibilities to however many destinations the player even wants to hear about.

That is why Hronek being tied into the same conversation matters, because moving a top four defender with protection usually forces you into salary gymnastics or taking a lesser hockey return.

The Canucks can still explore, but the first step is not a trade call, it is Vancouver deciding whether the direction is a re tool around their core or a true reset.

If the club actually wants to test Pettersson, they need a package that includes a real center replacement and futures, not just a shiny winger and vibes.

Until then, the smartest read is this, the rumours will keep flying, but the paperwork is undefeated, and the NMC is the headline.

The next milestone is what Vancouver does between now and the trade deadline, because one big win streak, or one ugly skid, can change the whole tone overnight.