Austin Konenski
The Detroit Red Wings are in need of reinforcements ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline. Following the Olympic break, Detroit has a 1-1 record and sits in the first Wild Card spot at 74 points. The Red Wings are capable of making a big run down the stretch, and they are targeting a star Vancouver Canucks forward.
Detroit is aggressively pursuing Vancouver forward Elias Pettersson in trade talks with the deadline on Friday, as reported by the Ottawa Citizen’s Bruce Garrioch. Pettersson, who has a full no-trade clause, has six years left on his contract with $11.6 million per season.
The 27-year-old forward hasn’t performed well over the last 1.5 seasons, only totaling 80 points in the last 115 games. During the 2023-24 NHL season, Pettersson was an All-Star, scoring 34 goals and 89 points. The Canucks currently have the worst record in the NHL by a wide margin, with 10 fewer points than any other organization.
Detroit needs more star power, and a change of scenery could bring Pettersson back to his All-Star level of play. After failing to address the team’s needs at the NHL trade deadline last season, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has to make moves for his current roster.
A trade for Pettersson would be massive for Detroit’s offense if he can be an 80-point regular-season player. It would require Detroit to give up some of its highly regarded young players, but it would be worth it to pair Pettersson with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond.
Some of those young players could include Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson, alongside Detroit’s 2026 first-round pick. It remains to be seen whether the Red Wings will feel comfortable moving Kasper or Danielson, but they are one of the few teams with the pieces and cap space for Pettersson.
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