Canucks Rumors: NHL insider opens up on potential delay over Elias Pettersson contract extension

NHL insiders Satiar Shah and Bik Nizzar recently discussed the ongoing contract negotiations between the Vancouver Canucks and star player Elias Pettersson. Speaking on Sportsnet, Shah acknowledged that the negotiations have been relatively quiet, similar to what has been reported in the media.

He drew comparisons to Sebastian Aho's contract, highlighting that Pettersson had an exceptional year and their point-per-game numbers were similar. Aho's contract was for $9.75 million per year, and Shah suggested that Canucks might be looking at this as a benchmark.

Shah noted that Pettersson likely desires a contract worth more than $10 million annually. However, Shah also mentioned that Pettersson's willingness to sign a longer-term deal (seven or eight years) could lead to a contract in the $10-$11 million range.

On the other hand, if Pettersson prefers a shorter contract (three or four years), the Canucks might not be inclined to offer $10 million per year.

The discussion then turned to the timeline of negotiations. Nizzar pointed out that J.T. Miller signed his deal in early September, indicating that there is still some time before reaching a resolution.

Both analysts agreed that the Pettersson camp might be more focused on the percentage of the salary cap rather than the total contract amount. They cited examples of other players' cap hit percentages, suggesting that a figure around 13% of the projected salary cap for next season (around $87 million) could result in a salary of just over $11 million.

Both analysts agreed that while the negotiations have been quiet, there could be movement in the coming weeks as the deadline approaches.

Former Red Wings center Pius Suter joins Canucks on a two-year contract

The Vancouver Canucks have secured center Pius Suter with a two-year contract worth an average of $1.6 million per year. Suter, aged 27, spent the last two seasons playing for the Detroit Red Wings, where his contract carried a yearly cap hit of $3.25 million.

Last year, Suter had a less productive season in Detroit, scoring 14 goals and providing 10 assists in 79 games – his lowest numbers yet. However, he maintained his reputation for solid defensive skills and managed to win 46.8% of his faceoffs.

Across his three seasons in the NHL, Suter has accumulated a total of 43 goals and 44 assists in 216 games, with a faceoff win rate of 46.7%