Vancouver cannucks get: D Marcus Pettersson, F Drew O’Connor
Pittsburgh’s Penguins get: F Danton Heinen, D Vincent Desharnais, F Melvin Fernström, 2025 Pick of first round (via New York Rangers, protected Top-13)
James Mirtle: How many Petters do we have on this ship anyway? I love a good job in two games, and Jim Rutherford achieved a dandy Friday evening after the difficult defeat of the Canucks in Dallas.
After it seemed that Vancouver was to take a step back by a sort of task with the job of JT Miller, he overthrowed the first round of the Rangers and picked up exactly what the team needed: another defender of the first four who can play significant minutes and take part of the pressure of Quinn Hughes.
The Blue Line cannucks had struggled all year after their strange makeover did not work; This should finally stabilize their agreements and split the rest of their back-end in the right places.
It was a high price, but since they also expelled a salary underperforming next year including Desharnais ($ 2 million) and Heinen ($ 2.25 million), it goes without saying ‘They will take a good race to keep Pettersson in the long term in the long term. (They now have 27 million dollars free this summer, but with a few key names to get a sign.)
O’Connor, on the other hand, was mired in a collapse of a season and brings at least a certain potential to offer the physicity and the depth of the wing after having 16 goals and 33 points last season.
It is obviously a lot for the cannucks to pay two rentals, but their need on D was so blatant that he threatened their season, even with the whole accent on Miller’s drama. With the sweetness of the western background, they are still in very good position to make the playoffs, which gives them a chance to combat some of the best teams of the conference.
It was not realistic without upgrading at the rear before the deadline.
Vancouver has also opened an additional $ 2.9 million in the ceiling space with these two offers, which will allow it to make more revolving by March 7, if necessary.
As for the Penguins, they do well to get what should be a decent -up -time first -round choice and two list players with terms they can seek to return, now, during the off -season or on the deadline for Next year.
With so few quality defenders available before the deadline, it was logical that they should be able to seek a first late for Pettersson, but I did not think it would be one with a chance to be in the first 16 Choice in June.
And the value of O’Connor had flowed to the point that he was not the price he could have been at the start of the season. I think this agreement is fortunate to be a winner-win. But a large part of this on the Vancouver side depends if Pettersson remains a horny at a reasonable price.
I will bet it happens.
Canucks: B
Penguins: B +
Shaya Goldman: What did it take two hours for the cannucks to move the most precious part of the return of trade Miller?
The vision was there for the Canucks, because this first round serves them better as a commercial asset than a real choice in the 2025 draft. And by moving the Miller’s contract, the management opened the ceiling space.
Think of the capital in 2023. Washington added a first round of Bruins as part of the return of Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway at the end of February. A few days later, management overturned in 2023 first (and Erik Gustafsson) for Rasmus Sandin. And it was a major step in the right direction for the re -engagement of the capital on the fly.
But there is a big difference between Sandinian and Pettersson. The 22 -year -old was under contract for another season at $ 1.4 million, and he became a limited free agent when this agreement expired the following summer. Pettersson, on the other hand, is a 28 -year -old man who has a ceiling of $ 4 million, a few months from the free agency without restriction.
Pettersson can be adapted to a team of cannucks that need back help. He is not a game player, but he can follow and complete high -end offensive defenders. It brings stability to the defensive area. Pettersson recovers many washers and helps his team push the game of his own end.
Is it worth a first round choice? Sometimes the market price can increase for rental defenders in the weeks preceding the deadline. And this payment in the first round can be worth it for a part that really solidifies a competitor. But the market price has not yet reached this level, and even with Pettersson, the Canucks do not look like a competitor. It is therefore an overpayer even if the team intends to extend it.
There are two small victories for Vancouver. The first moves the DESHARNAIS contract. It brings a lot of size to a range but does not break the needle. And O’Connor is a cheaper depth than Heinen. It can help transmit the washer to the ice in the last six and kill penalties. But these victories do not prevail over the cost, especially not with the overview.
As for the Penguins, obtaining a first round for Pettersson is a great world. The team has been full of choices in the middle and late for 2025 and 2026, but had its own first in 2025 and 2026. So recover a first round for its best trade chip on the pending UFA is A victory.
Heinen in exchange for O’Connor is well too – that the Penguins return it before the deadline or keep it simply to help fill the gaps left by another movement.
Canucks: C
Penguins: B +
(Photo: Joe Sargent / NHLI via Getty Images)
