Trade Speculation Still Dogs The Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks' inconsistent play this season amid injuries and struggles has some observers wondering if management is planning any moves in the New Year to improve the roster.

Recent reports linked the Canucks to Buffalo Sabres defenseman Bowen Byram and center Dylan Cozens. Some pundits pondered whether the New York Rangers might reacquire struggling center J.T. Miller. Underperforming left winger Nils Hoglander was also the subject of trade chatter.

Rumors of a rift between Miller and Elias Pettersson emerged in the days leading up to the recent holiday roster freeze. That prompted more than one scribe to suggest Miller or Pettersson could be moved if they didn't resolve their differences.

Related: The Canucks Are Playing Whac-A-Mole: Now With Hughes, Pettersson Injuries And Collapse Vs. Kraken

The speculation died down after both players denied any conflict between them. However, Pettersson's future in Vancouver was again in question when GM Patrik Allvin didn't rule out the possibility of a trade during a year-end interview with Sportsnet's Iain MacIntyre.

Allvin told MacIntyre he believes Pettersson has the talent to become the Canucks' top center. However, he felt the 26-year-old required maturity and had to be accountable when things didn't go well.

"Is (a trade) possible? I guess I would say anything is possible," Allvin told MacIntyre.

Those remarks could be Allvin sending a message to Pettersson to step up his play. He's struggled since signing an eight-year, $92-million contract extension last March.

Pettersson's $11.6-million cap hit would be difficult to move in-season. However, his no-movement clause doesn't kick in until July 1, giving Allvin an opening to peddle him to any club by the March 7 trade deadline or in the off-season before July 1.

Meanwhile, The Hockey News' Adam Kierszenblat suggested Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers as a trade target if Allvin wants to improve the Canucks' depth at left wing.

Kreider was among several trade candidates that Rangers GM Chris Drury circulated around the NHL in November. The 33-year-old winger is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $6.5 million and a 15-team no-trade list.

Kierszenblat acknowledged the Canucks would have to clear sufficient cap space and find suitable trade assets to tempt the Rangers. Kreider could also veto a trade to Vancouver.

It's unlikely Allvin pursues an aging asset like Kreider, especially when he carries a cap hit beyond this season that could adversely affect efforts to re-sign Brock Boeser. Unless, of course, Allvin trades Pettersson, in which case that cap space issue would vanish.

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