Many Vancouver Canucks fans have grown frustrated with Elias Pettersson.<\/p>\n
You\u2019d have to imagine that Canucks management feels the same way.<\/p>\n
The Canucks number one centre looked like a superstar leading up to his infamous eight-year contract extension worth $11.6 million per season.<\/p>\n
He once looked like a cornerstone, franchise player. But, almost two years to the day since signing the contract, Rutherford no longer feels that way.<\/p>\n
\u2018No, I don\u2019t think I need to say that at this point,\u201d Rutherford said bluntly when asked on 100% Hockey with Millard and Shannon<\/a>\u00a0if Pettersson was a cornerstone piece for the Canucks.<\/p>\n The 77-year-old executive was careful with his words when describing the play of his highest-paid player.<\/p>\n \u201cHe has played better than given credit for this year with the Canucks,\u201d Rutherford said. I think he\u2019s worked very hard at his two-way game.\u201d<\/p>\n But Rutherford did say something that all Canucks fans are thinking.<\/p>\n \u201cA guy in his position, we\u2019d like to see do more on the offensive side.\u201d<\/p>\n No doubt.<\/p>\n From the beginning of the 2022-23 season, up until signing with the Canucks on March 2, 2024, Pettersson had 177 points in 142 games. That total was good for seventh-best in the NHL during that stretch, ahead of other NHL superstars such as Matthew Tkachuk, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Kirill Kaprizov and Cale Makar.<\/p>\n Of course, it\u2019s been a disaster ever since.<\/p>\n In nearly two years since signing that deal, Pettersson has 94 points in 134 games, ranking 136th among NHL players.<\/p>\n With rampant speculation about the future of many players on the Canucks roster, Rutherford shed some insight on the possibility of trading Pettersson.<\/p>\n \u201cIf somebody made just a great offer, we\u2019d have to look at it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a pretty stark difference between those comments and the ones Rutherford made about Filip Hronek.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been our best player this year,\u201d Rutherford said. \u201cHe\u2019s a number one defenseman. He\u2019s a heart and soul guy.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to see why a fresh start might be best for Pettersson. He\u2019s constantly under the spotlight in a hockey-mad Vancouver market. And, based on the baggage of the past two seasons, a change of scenery could be welcomed.<\/p>\n When thinking about a potential Pettersson trade, the Los Angeles Kings certainly come to mind.<\/a><\/p>\n However, a \u201cgreat offer\u201d for Pettersson might be a pipe dream at this point, which is backed up by reports that teams want the Canucks to retain on his contract<\/a>, which has six years remaining after this season.<\/p>\n Until then, the Canucks might be stuck with Pettersson, unless they proactively try to shop him and broker a deal. That doesn\u2019t sound like something the team is overly interested in doing.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not a guy that we feel that we have to get out there and shop,\u201d Rutherford said. \u201cHe\u2019s a young guy. His offense can still come back. I think it will. He\u2019s a very skilled guy.\u201d<\/p>\n Pettersson\u2019s decline in foot speed has limited that skill. Back in 2022-23, the Sundsvall, Sweden native ranked in the 90th percentile in terms of speed bursts between 20-22 miles per-hour. He\u2019s dipped to the middle of the pack since, but has creeped back up into the 70th percentile this season.<\/p>\n