Struggling Canucks saying Pettersson solely untouchable

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The Vancouver Canucks don’t intend on doing a scorched-earth rebuild. That mentioned, the membership may very well be analyzing some massive strikes and will have one fewer untouchable participant than all of us would have anticipated.

Based on Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Canucks do wish to change their combine and breathe new life into the group.

“They’ve indicated that they’ve one untouchable and that’s (Elias) Pettersson,” Friedman mentioned on the 32 Ideas phase throughout the second intermission of Hockey Night time in Canada. “Now you already know what all people’s going to begin to say: What does that imply for Quinn Hughes? What I used to be instructed is that the Canucks have mentioned it will take a completely mammoth supply (to amass Hughes). This isn’t one thing they’re seeking to do; it will take a mammoth supply for them to half methods with the super younger defenceman.”

The actual fact the Canucks would hear in any respect on Hughes is notable, because the 23-year-old is among the greatest blueliners within the sport. For the reason that begin of the 2019-20 season, solely 5 D-men — Roman Josi, John Carlson, Cale Makar, Victor Hedman and Adam Fox — have put up extra factors than Hughes’ 187 in 225 video games.

Hughes — whose youthful brother and fellow defenceman, Luke, was simply named captain of Staff USA’s 2023 World Junior Championship entry — is within the second season of a six-year contract that counts for $7.85 million yearly in opposition to the wage cap.

Though no one was actually fascinated about Hughes’ identify being within the hearsay mill, Canucks captain Bo Horvat has been the topic of commerce hypothesis for weeks. The 27-year-old is eligible to turn out to be a free agent in the summertime of 2023 and Friedman believes the seven-year, $8-million per contract extension signed by fellow Canucks ahead J.T. Miller earlier than the season is appearing as ceiling for the place the staff can be snug going when it comes to a proposal for a brand new deal.

And with the way in which Horvat has performed this season — 21 targets in 29 video games — that merely may not be sufficient.

“One of the best I can sense is that J.T. Miller’s contract is value $56 million,” Friedman mentioned. “I simply don’t suppose they wish to go over that for Horvat, and his 12 months is placing him over that.”