Elias Pettersson loses 6-figure down payment made for a luxury home despite winning legal battle: Report

Vancouver Canucks star Elias Pettersson has lost out on a $245,000 down payment made for a luxury home in Sweden despite winning a legal battle over the failed purchase.

According to a report by HockeyNews.se, two years ago, Pettersson agreed to buy a house in the Stockholm suburb of Danderyd for 26 million Swedish Krona (approximately 3.5 million CAD).

He paid a 10% down payment of 2.7 million SEK to the real estate broker to facilitate the purchase. However, after inspecting the property, Pettersson discovered several flaws with the home. It was larger than what the building permit allowed and would have needed significant and costly renovations or even demolition.

Pettersson decided to back out of the deal. The seller protested his withdrawal, taking the case to court. Eventually, a district court sided with Pettersson, allowing him to cancel the purchase.

Despite winning the legal battle, Pettersson was unable to recover his hefty down payment. The real estate broker who handled the sale was later convicted of aggregated fraud against multiple victims and sentenced to six years in prison. It appears that the money paid by Pettersson was pocketed by the fraudulent broker.

Pettersson's father, Torbjorn, said:

"The money is gone. Just forget about it, and move on."

Elias Pettersson is signed to an eight-year, $92.8 million contract with a $11.6 million cap hit with the Canucks.

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Elias Pettersson trade rumors heat up

Former NHL defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo believes that the Buffalo Sabres should pursue a "blockbuster trade" for Vancouver Canucks star center Elias Pettersson.

Speaking on TSN, Colaiacovo said:

"This is your perfect opportunity right now to go out and get a star-studded center iceman that is locked in the long term. This is your chance to get him."

He pointed out the Sabres have the assets to put together an enticing package, including young players and draft picks.

"They have the pieces to make that deal happen," Colaiacovo added. "I would like to see them be more aggressive, to see if this is an actual deal they can get Vancouver to agree to."

Adding an elite talent like Elias Pettersson would provide a huge boost to a Sabres squad trying to build around cornerstone defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Colaiacovo sees Pettersson and Dahlin as an ideal match, given their Swedish connection.

"There's a relationship there with both being Swedes, this seems like the most perfect fit for me," Colaiacovo said. "If I'm Buffalo, I'm all in on trying to get this deal done to acquire Pettersson."

Colaiacovo believes that Buffalo has both the need and the means to make a competitive offer to the Canucks for the young star.