J.T. Miller was traded but that doesn’t mean the drama in Vancouver is finished.
The Canucks are sitting ninth in the Western Conference with a 23-18-11 record and more trades could be on the way as the defending Pacific Division Champions navigate this disappointing season.
In the middle of Vancouver’s struggles have been Miller and Elias Pettersson, who finished first and third on the Canucks in scoring last season with 103 points and 89 points, respectively. When Miller was traded on Friday, he had 35 points in 40 games for the Canucks, while Pettersson has just 33 points in 46 games this year.
With the number-one name off the board, Frank Seravalli released a new Trade Targets list at Daily Faceoff on Monday. Pettersson came in at No. 30, with Seravalli noting that the Swede has something to prove before his no-movement clause kicks in. The Canucks might want to get out from under Petterson’s eight-year, $92.8 million contract before he can block a trade.
“Pettersson is on the clock. With J.T. Miller traded, GM Patrik Allvin made it clear in no uncertain terms that Pettersson needs to be better – and that expectations have not been met. There are no excuses left. His production ticked up in the weeks that Miller was absent from Vancouver’s lineup, but even that wasn’t necessarily at the level of an $11.6 million player. If ‘Petey’ doesn’t play like ‘Petey’ again, prepare for him to be traded prior to his full ‘no-trade’ clause kicking in on July 1 – and before this deadline isn’t out of the realm of possibility.”
Oilers slip from second to third in NHL Power Rankings
A couple of weeks ago, the Oilers hosted the Washington Capitals in what was a potential Stanley Cup Final preview. The Caps came in Edmonton with the NHL’s best record and the two teams topped Daily Faceoff’s Power Rankings.
The Oilers dropped that game to Washington and ultimately posted a 3-2-1 record on their six-game homestand, while the Capitals were passed by the Winnipeg Jets in the league standings. The Jets topped this week’s edition of Power Rankings, Washington fell to second, and Edmonton was ranked third.
“Connor McDavid really is human this season, huh? After all the headlines that have been made over the past two weeks about his suspension and how upset he and the team were over the length of it, I was expecting a revenge tour. Instead, he got a goal and an assist in two games against poor defensive teams in the Kraken and Red Wings, and then he didn’t even get a point against his boyhood team, the Leafs. I’m sure McDavid will make these comments age like milk, but in a season where he hasn’t stood out of the pack like he usually does, I was hoping that this would light a fire under his ass. Maybe the 4 Nations Face-Off will do that instead.”
