Uncertainty for Vancouver Canuck's Franchise Center

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Nathan Leblanc
October 9, 2023 (8:42 PM)

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The drama surrounding Elias Pettersson and the Vancouver Canucks has continued throughout the summer of 2023, as Pettersson approaches the start of the final year of his current three-year contract extension.

Pettersson is an upcoming RFA

At the close of the 2023-24 NHL season, Pettersson will once again be an RFA, however will also have the right to challenge for arbitration. The young center has been the franchise center that the Canucks' have been looking for ever since they drafted him in 2017. Although the Canucks have yet to experience much playoff success as of late, Pettersson is expected to be the centerpiece in any future playoff runs.

Pettersson is starting to come into his own after putting up 102 points in just 80 games last season. Currently, on the final year of his 3-year $7.35 million AAV contract, Pettersson is expected to earn a sizable contract extension in the coming year.

Vancouver Canucks are also unsure about Pettersson

Elliotte Friedman recently acknowledged that the rumours about Pettersson being unsure about sticking around in Vancouver are true, however also added another wrinkle to this developing story.

It appears that there may be some uncertainty on whether Canucks' management is willing to pony up the money to keep Pettersson at the end of the season. Although he has shown to be a dominant player and one that can be a top player in this league, Pettersson may not fit the timeline that the Canucks are looking to compete in. With the amount of cap problems that the Canucks have had during the most recent years, it will be interesting to see if management is willing to give Pettersson what he is worth or if they are willing to get assets back for him.

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