There have been talks about the Montreal Canadiens potentially upgrading their forward depth by adding a forward on the trade market. We recently discussed adding Mikko Rantanen for a reunion with Patrik Laine, but his rumored asking price is too high for the Canadiens to consider with all the players they'll have to extend. However, one player that has also been mentioned is Elias Pettersson, who I feel would be a massive mistake for the Canadiens' front office to pursue.
Pettersson's new $11.6 million annual contract began this season, and it could be a deal the Vancouver Canucks already regret. The drama surrounding Pettersson reached an all-new high earlier this year with his reported rift with JT Miller, which the Canucks thought they sorted when they traded Miller to the New York Rangers. However, it's becoming increasingly clear they may have moved the wrong guy and may want to clean the house of two of them and also trade Pettersson.
Most expected Pettersson to have a resurgence once they traded Miller, but it has mostly been the opposite. Pettersson has two assists in the six games since the Canucks traded Miller, while also recording just seven shots on goal. He also had a poor showing at the Four Nations Faceoff, failing to register any points and recording just two shots. Pettersson reached a new low in the game against the United States when he played fewer than ten minutes.
Pettersson told the media that he was ready to take on more of a responsibility after Miller left the team, but after six games, it seems like he is regretting that statement. The Vancouver media asked Pettersson after Monday night's game about whether it was a confidence issue with his recent play. Instead of taking responsibility or owning up to the poor play, Pettersson said, "It’s more annoying dealing with the media."
If any team is looking to acquire Pettersson, they better hope their market is one that doesn't care about the NHL as much as others. Vancouver can be a difficult place to play with the media attention and scrutiny, and there are few markets that are harder. One of those markets is here in Montreal. Pettersson may need a fresh start, but it wouldn't take long until the relationship soured here like it did in Vancouver.
It seems to me that Pettersson is starting to lose the support of the locker room. He doesn't seem to be meshing well with his teammates, and then you have comments from players like Dakota Joshua, which seemed to be a shot at Pettersson's reluctance to shoot the puck Sunday night. “I think just too many of us are trying to make the extra pass instead of shooting the puck. Just the mindset of getting pucks to the net isn’t there as much as it should be," Joshua commented after the game.
The Canadiens have a great young core growing together. It'd be a shame to sour it with a bad apple like Pettersson, as Martin St. Louis is currently trying to keep Patrik Laine happy amidst his struggles and lack of ice time. Adding Pettersson to St. Louis' plate could end in disaster.