Maple Leafs Should Pursue Canucks’ Forward Elias Pettersson This Offseason – The Hockey Writers – Toronto Maple Leafs

This sounds like a crazy idea, but just hear me out.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have undergone a lot of change already since the end of their campaign, firing Brad Treliving and hiring John Chayla and Mats Sundin, as well as relieving Craig Berube of his duties as their head coach. Now, their focus is shifting to the 2026 NHL Draft and improving their roster.

They have a lot of cap space available this summer, and while they’re expected to snag one of Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg with the first overall selection, they are still in need of scoring forwards, since they never made up for the loss of Mitchell Marner.

One name that makes a lot of sense for them is forward Elias Pettersson, who has struggled to find his once elite game over the past couple of seasons, and could need a fresh start. His massive $11.6 million cap hit makes him a tough player to trade, but if the Canucks are willing to retain, it could be a smart addition.

There Remains Speculation About Pettersson’s Future

Rick Dhaliwal sent out a tweet a little over a month ago, citing Elliotte Friedman, backing up an idea that the Canucks and Pettersson could sit down and consider moving on from each other.

Elliotte Friedman on @DonnieandDhali : Will the Canucks have a serious sit down with Elias Pettersson after the season, a real conversation, put everything on the table.

Are you committed, can we make it work in VAN.

Are their places you are willing to go, let us know.

— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) April 13, 2026

Pettersson can choose where he goes in the event of any trade because of the no-movement clause in his contract, but the Maple Leafs could be an attractive destination for him, considering he would be playing in their top-six forward group, have an entirely new group of hockey operations, and have the first overall selection coming into the league next season.

Maple Leafs Could Benefit From Improving Centre Depth

The expectation, while not a foregone conclusion, is that the Maple Leafs will take McKenna first overall. He is an excellent forward, but not someone who bolsters their centre depth. Adding Pettersson fixes their issue down the middle. Obviously, his price tag is terrifying, but if the Canucks retain $3.6 million, he becomes a much more attractive player.

Pettersson’s defensive game remains solid, and he can be trusted to take defensive zone draws and help keep the puck out of his own net. On top of that, he still put up 51 points through 74 games last season, which is solid, considering how weak the Canucks were last season.

Now, only 51 points for a two-way player who is being paid as much as he is isn’t good production. However, dropping his cap hit to $8 million, with a rising salary cap and the need to buy in hopes of getting back into contention, makes him a valuable asset.

He would seem to be a bit overpaid at the $8 million price tag, but his production should rise with a stronger forward core.

Chayka Will Want to Make a Splash

Let’s call a spade a spade; the hiring of Chayka as the new general manager didn’t receive much positive feedback.

Fans around the league, including Maple Leaf diehards, were not pleased with that decision, considering Chayka’s reputation wasn’t strong after his previous stint with the Arizona Coyotes.

While he listened to what the fans wanted and fired Berube, he will want to make another move to prove his worth to the fans and those around him. Making a splash for Pettersson, who is a risky addition but immediately improves their overall depth, could put him back in their good books.

What Would a Trade Look Like?

Let’s assume the Canucks would be retaining $3.6 million annually for the remainder of Pettersson’s contract, dropping his cap hit to $8 million.

The Maple Leafs would likely have to part with a prospect and two second-round picks. The Canucks won’t get a massive trade return, but they will still be looking for draft capital and an asset, especially to make up for the retention, as well as parting with someone who has been one of their strongest players over the past several seasons.

The Canucks could maximize a trade return by taking on Morgan Reilly, which could force the Maple Leafs to attach a first-round pick as well. Not the first overall pick, but a future first-round pick.

Either way, the Maple Leafs should look at targeting Pettersson this offseason. He would be an upgrade to their forward depth, wouldn’t break the bank, and would help prove to the fans and to the rest of the roster that their new management group is willing to spend money and assets to improve and get back into playoff contention after a disastrous 2025-26 campaign.

As the 2025-26 postseason moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news, updates, and more from around the NHL and the hockey world.