Elias Pettersson’s agent says the idea that Vancouver approached the forward to waive his no-trade clause never happened, while outlining what comes next for the season.
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Elias Pettersson remains with the Vancouver Canucks and is expected to be in place as the team moves toward training camp, according to statements from his agent that also addressed recent trade speculation.
The agent, J.P. Barry, said the Canucks did not approach Pettersson to request a waiver of the forward’s no-trade clause, directly rejecting the premise described in earlier trade-rumour talk.
Barry’s comments were made during an appearance on “The Donnie and Dhali” podcast when he was asked whether any such request had ever been made of his client.
He said that, rather than a waiver request being part of the process, any movement would have needed to be linked to the right deal, describing trades across the league as difficult and suggesting there were relatively few transactions compared with what might otherwise be expected.
In discussing why a high-end player can be hard to move, Barry characterized the difficulty of trading someone at Pettersson’s level as part of the broader landscape of the NHL market.
Barry also used the opportunity to frame Pettersson’s situation going into the upcoming campaign, noting that the player is looking toward returning to the type of offensive impact he is associated with.
As part of that setup, Barry described the upcoming year as “a really big, big year” for Pettersson and said the forward knows he has something to prove and wants to make a larger impact than he has recently.
The agent said Pettersson is not satisfied with where his game has been and that, based on their discussions, the player wants to improve his contribution as the Canucks prepare for the next season.
Off the ice and within the organization, Barry referenced changes to the Canucks going into the season, including a replacement of former general manager Patrik Allvin with Ryan Johnson and the return of the Sedin Twins to the organization in executive roles.
He also noted that Manny Malhotra is now the team’s coach, after leading the Abbotsford Canucks to a Calder Cup championship, and said the change to a new environment is part of the renewed feel in Vancouver.
Pettersson and the Canucks are scheduled to begin training camp on Sept. 17, with the first preseason game set for Sept. 19 against the Seattle Kraken, according to the information provided.
In addition to addressing rumors, Barry’s comments aligned with Pettersson’s own earlier stance about staying in Vancouver, including the forward’s view that the organization feels like home and that he has no desire to be moved while the team works to build a stronger club.
Taken together, the agent’s message is significant for Vancouver fans because it clarifies that, despite talk around possible deals, Pettersson is positioned to be part of the Canucks’ preseason and training-camp plans rather than something being negotiated away before the season begins.
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