I just read that hockey insider Jeff Marek has proposed a trade involving our Penguins and the Canucks.
Marek floated the idea of an Elias Pettersson-for-five-assets swap. Those assets being forward Tommy Novak, freshly acquired defenseman Samuel Girard, 2025 first-round pick/budding power forward Will Horcoff and two second-rounders.
My reaction?
No, no…a thousand times no.
Frankly, I want no parts of Pettersson. Yes, he’s a talented player who once strung together 102-point and 89-point seasons. However, his production has fallen off a cliff since ’23-24. In fact, his current output, 13 goals and 35 points in 50 games, is virtually identical to Novak’s 12 goals and 32 points in 57 games. And Tommy’s doing it a whole cheaper, $3.5 million vs. Pettersson’s unholy cap hit of $11.6 million. To say nothing of the chemistry the former’s displayed with linemates Evgeni Malkin and Egor Chinakhov.
I do not want to break up what’s been hands-down our best line in the New Year.
Too, there’s the not-so-small matter of personality and fit. I don’t profess to know what transpired between Pettersson and former Canucks teammate and current Rangers captain J.T. Miller. I do know that Miller’s the type of player who would eat nails and spit glass if it meant garnering two points.
The fallout, Miller being shipped out of town, doesn’t reflect well on the 27-year-old Swede.
I read an article a while back suggesting Pettersson, as gifted as he is, doesn’t have a burning passion for his sport. He just happens to be really good at it. Or at least he was.
This stands in stark contrast to our Pens, who as currently constructed play with a lot of spirit and gusto. The last thing we need is to add a player who may detract from that.
On the scary side, Pettersson does fit the profile of what Kyle Dubas seems to look for: a talented player of prime age with upside who, for whatever reasons, may need a change of scenery. In Pettersson’s case, a huge potential upside. One that might look enticing given the advanced ages of Sidney Crosby and especially UFA-to-be Malkin.
I get that we’ve got cap space galore. I get that we’ve stockpiled picks and parting with two second-rounders wouldn’t be that big of deal. And Girard is an unknown quantity here. Still, I wouldn’t want to part with Novak and Horcoff for a player who really isn’t gettin’ ‘er done any more.
Yes, the payoff could be significant, could being the operative word. However, in my mind, trading five assets for Pettersson is risky business. A roll of the dice Dubas simply can’t afford to make.