Elias Pettersson trade rumors are heating up again, and this time the Chicago Blackhawks are the team drawing real interest.
Daily Faceoff named Chicago among eight possible Pettersson destinations, then singled the Blackhawks out as a real fit for a major addition.
Pettersson carries an $11,600,000 cap hit and put up just 51 points in 74 games this season, a steep drop from his old form.
He finished at a minus-30, and Vancouver closed the year 25-49-8 for 58 points, dead last in the league at 32nd overall.
Chicago sits in a very different spot, with roughly $29,310,000 in projected cap space heading into next season.
Connor Bedard just had shoulder surgery and is expected to miss over a month next season, exposing how thin Chicago's scoring depth really is behind him.
The graphic making the rounds breaks down exactly what a realistic Blackhawks package could look like, pick by pick, name by name.
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How Bedard's shoulder surgery changes Chicago's timeline
Bedard put up 75 points in 69 games this season, but running a franchise through one center is a real risk once that center gets hurt.
Pairing him with Pettersson would split matchups between two skilled centers instead of loading everything onto a 20-year-old.
A realistic package reportedly starts with Oliver Moore or Frank Nazar, never both, plus Edmonton's 2027 first-round pick and a smaller asset.
Moore has 19 points in 51 games this season, while Nazar has 41 points in 66 games, both still on entry-level money.
If Vancouver retains 15 percent of the deal, Chicago's charge drops closer to $9,860,000, though that costs the Canucks $1,740,000 annually for six years.
Nothing about this is official. But if Vancouver wants a return built on Pettersson's old 102-point ceiling from two seasons back, Chicago should just walk away and let someone else take that gamble.
Should the Blackhawks give up Frank Nazar or Oliver Moore for Elias Pettersson?
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