Apparently, NHL trades are allowed on Friday nights and Friday nights only. Jokes aside, the Vancouver Canucks had a busy Friday, first trading J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers, then acquiring defenseman Marcus Pettersson from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Here are the full details of the Pettersson deal:
It didn’t take long for the Canucks to flip some assets from the Miller trade, but this is still a curious deal for them. As for the Penguins, it’s rebuild/retool time for Kyle Dubas, and this was a pretty good start as they’re likely to be one of the most active sellers ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.
Pettersson Is an Upgrade But at a High Cost
After trading Miller, I would have guessed the Canucks would be trending toward becoming sellers. Instead, they immediately flipped the first they acquired for Miller by adding Pettersson to their blue line.
Pettersson isn’t exactly a household name, but he is one of the more underrated top-pair defenders in the NHL. He’s put up strong metrics in his time in Pittsburgh, especially defensively. He’s not a big point-producer, but he can move the puck efficiently, something the Canucks need defensively.
Related: Grading Rangers & Canucks Blockbuster J.T. Miller Trade
Sure, they may have Quinn Hughes, but the Canucks don’t have enough puck-moving defenders in their lineup, and Pettersson should help give them some much-needed defensive depth behind Hughes and Filip Hronek on the top pair.
I understand why the Canucks acquired Pettersson from a personnel standpoint, but it’s a risky move, considering where they are in the standings. They are by no means a lock to make the playoffs in the West, and moving Miller probably doesn’t help. Giving up a first seems like quite a bit for Pettersson, even if it won’t necessarily be a high one since it’s the Rangers’ pick and top-13 protected.
That’s not all the Canucks gave up, though. Melvin Fernström is having a solid season in the SHL for Örebro HK, with eight points in 35 games as an 18-year-old. Danton Heinen is a bottom-six forward, but a decent one at that — he’s on pace for 28 points. Granted, they also acquired Drew O’Connor, but he’s likely a downgrade from Heinen.
This deal will look a lot better if the Canucks re-sign Pettersson, but it seems like a hefty price to pay for a rental defenseman, albeit a very good one, considering where they are in the standings.
Canucks: Grade B-
Penguins Get a Solid Return for Pettersson
It was only a matter of time before the Penguins became sellers, and this will be far from the last move Dubas will make before March 7. The Penguins’ own pick will be in the lottery this year, and there’s a chance the Rangers’ pick could be in the top 20, depending on where they finish. If the Rangers really bottom out, it slides to 2026, which looks like a much deeper draft class. I’m sure the Penguins won’t mind that either.
That first-round pick for Pettersson is the crown jewel of this deal, but Heinen is under contract through the end of next season and is young enough that he could be a solution for the Penguins if they’re trying to be competitive in 2025-26. As mentioned above, he’s an upgrade over O’Connor, so that’s a positive.
I’m not sure if Fernström will amount to anything in the NHL, but he is a prospect worth taking a flyer on. The Penguins have an improving farm system, mostly because the prospects they received in last year’s Jake Guentzel trade have been playing quite well in the AHL, specifically Ville Koivunen. Fernström should strengthen the Penguins’ farm system and give them another prospect with some promise.
David Desharnais was likely a throw-in more than anything else, but he’s a solid third-pair defender; just don’t expect him to produce much offensively. Overall, this was a solid bit of business by Dubas, something the Penguins needed.
Penguins Grade: B+
