NHL Rumor Mill – August 11, 2026
The latest on Canucks center Elias Pettersson and an update on the Oilers’ trade plans in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
CANUCKS CONVERSATION: CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal recently dismissed trade speculation linking Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson to the Los Angeles Kings.
Vancouver Canucks center Elias Pettersson (NHL Images).
The rumors began when the 27-year-old Canucks center was spotted practicing in Los Angeles. However, Dhaliwal pointed out that Pettersson’s wife is from Los Angeles, which explains why he would be doing some offseason training there.
Dhaliwal also said a trade involving Pettersson has not come close to happening in the last few months. There’s been plenty of conjecture and teams checking in, but nothing reached the point where the Canucks would ask the center or his agent if he would waive his no-movement clause.
Pettersson’s contract remains the sticking point. He has six years remaining on his deal with an average annual value of $11.6 million. Dhaliwal believes the Canucks have no choice but to wait and see how Pettersson plays this season and if it improved their chances of moving him at the trade deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Barring a dramatic change in Pettersson’s circumstances, he’ll start this season (and likely finish it) with the Canucks.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: Oilers general manager Stan Bowman has more salary cap space to start this season than he’s had over the previous two offseasons since taking over the role in July 2024.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: According to PuckPedia, the Oilers have over $4.725 million.
Bowman doesn’t plan on using that extra space for more additions before the regular season begins next month. Instead, he’s going to hang onto it in case any players become available early in the season that could help his club.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The longer Bowman holds off using that cap space during the regular season, the more the Oilers will accrue. If he can wait until the March 1 trade deadline, the Oilers would have over $21.8 million available.
So the question is, baring injuries what would the Oilers use the excess cap stave for?
To pay off all the “LAW SUITS” after Mike
Babcock’s short one month tenure as the
coach of the Oilers.
Possible scenario.
You’re a pretty negative Oiler fan Alan. And that is a highly unlikely scenario. Can’t sue someone for being a a hard ass, or even an a-hole. And asking to see some ones pictures doesn’t qualify either.
TSP, my guess is a forward or in case of injury somewhere else.
Right now you have McDavid, Draisaitl, Hyman, Nuge, Podkolzin for the top 6. I think the plan would be to give Savoie first crack at earning a spot up there as he had a good 2nd half last year in his first full season. Howard probably gets a look when injuries happen.
Plus who is going to improve under Babcock, and who may struggle?
None of the 3 tenders are a sure thing either. Walman gets hurt regularly on D and he is paid like a top 4 guy now.
Flexibility is the key word I suppose.
Ray, second line winger?
That was my thought TSP, but I was thinking anywhere in the top 6.
Hyman, McDavid and Nuge has worked well in the past.
Draisaitl likes playing with Podkolzin, so if Savoie doesn’t work out maybe? Nuge with Podkolzin and Drai works too with Savoie up with McDavid.
Methinks that will be a fluid relationship and they keep the pairs together. Hyman/McDavid and Drai/Podkolzin.
They have plenty of D and 3 goalies, but questions that need resolving as the season goes on.
I am still shocked that Buffalo ever traded Savoie. Classic Adams move.
Trade a contract out use space for Vancouver’s Pettersson
Please excuse my ignorance but I am not sure how Edmonton can have 4.725 in cap space in Sept. and it can balloon to 21.8 in March?
Sr: Follow this link for the explanation:
https://puckpedia.com/salary-cap/answers/cap-space-accrual
As I’ve mentioned a few times over the past weeks, Staios is also on record as not intending to spend to the cap, keeping around $4 mil in reserve with an eye to the 2027 trade deadline and, if in a playoff position, having the accrued extra cap to make more impactful trades if possible.
In Ottawa’s case, his $4,195,833 in current cap space will accrue into the area of $19.01 to $19.51 mil in usable space by the March 1, 2027 deadline
Under the new CBA, it is useless to have a 20M cap space at TDL. The only cap space you need is the amount you need to reach the 104M limit for the 20 players on the ice during the playoff.
If you are actually at 100M and add approx 20M at TDL you will be able to put on the ice a 20 man roster with a max value of 104M during the playoff forcing you to sit 16M at every game.
Champs, I am sure it does NOT work that way. It’s the end of season cap hit, not the beginning of season cap hit. How that is figued is beyond me and I have to rely on Puckpedia to figure that out.
It’s more about purchasing power than getting more cap space. I try to think about it this way. Say a team has $4M in cap space today.
They could add a $4M player and be good. Or they can hold off.
Half way through the season they still have $4M in full year cap space. But at this point of the season they can add an $8M player (full year cap hit) because they are only paying the remaining 50% of his season (so only the reaming $4M goes to the acquiring team).
Said another way, before season they can only add a guy with a $4M full year cap hit.
25% through the season, they can now add a $6M player. 50% through they can add an $8M player, etc.
So the longer they sit on that cap space, the more expensive players they can add later in the year.
Doesn’t having trade deadline cap space lose some of it’s luster now that there’s a salary cap during the playoffs?
Sure you can pick up a high priced player at the deadline, but you may be forced to bench someone with significant salary once you’re in the postseason.
It does that for sure, Number6. Henceforth, ANY deadline acquisition’s full AAV will now count against game-day playoff lineups, negating the frequently-used loophole that allowed accrued space to dilute a player’s cap impact. Now teams will have to think twice before dealing for top-end players unless, of course, they can legitimately fit that player’s full cap hit under the upper limit for EACH playoff game.
Oh, is that new? Hardly seems fair, if you can ad ’em in at the end of the season but can’t play ’em in the PO’s!
Wiser teams will change the approach I think.
With the accrual I would look to acquire 2 to 3 vets in the 4 to 7 mil range.
Since most of the rosters have players in this range, they are more easily interchaeable to stay under the cap.
You can send down young players and have vets rotating in and out and on or on standby for injuries and what not when they happen
Agree, 1Oilerfan. Definitely will involve a distinctly different approach to managing/planning ahead.
Agree as well guys. Seems like quite a few teams think the same way.
Presumably Number6, the deadline acquisition is a better player than one being benched.
How many GM will be ready to give assets at TDL for rental players potententially being benched during the playoff?
Those who hung onto enough cap space enabling them to legitimately fit the player’s full cap hit under the upper limit for EACH playoff game.
This is only the case with a fully healthy roster come playoff time which is a great problem to have.
Most teams will have at least some players unable to play due to injury and that number goes up as the playoffs progress.
Plus every team has some overpaid players they can sit for a better talent come playoff time.
Pettersson is right behind Huberdeau for the worse contracts. The exception is Skinny Pete can still turn things around at 27.
Yeah, the Albatross list is growing judging by the names being included in various lists dealing with the subject, and on which these names usually appear:
33 y/o Jonathan Huberdeau – Calgary – $10.5 million AAV with 5 seasons still to go for a once lethal scorer who now clearly is lacking in production vis-a-vis cap hit;
32 y/o Chandler Stephenson – Seattle – $6.3 million AAV with 5 seasons still to go who now openly struggles in both defensive metrics and any heavy going aspects of the game;
32 y/o (in Feb) Darnell Nurse – San Jose – regardless of who has him now, and the rising cap, that $9.25 million AAV still with 4 seasons left represents a major overpay against any actual on-ice value- i.e., he isn’t “horrible” but he is vastly overpaid;
30 y/o Adin Hill – Vegas – $6.3 million AAV with 5 seasons to go – again, a high financial commitment for a goalie who has battled consistency along with repeated injuries;
21 y/o Bowen Byram – Chicago – a 21 y/o ranked among “worst contracts??? … well, while that could change swiftly. There are those who firmly believe that that $12.5 million AAV over the next 6 seasons is a huge and extraordinarily high cap gamble for a young D still needing to prove he can fill # 1 role – this season could change some minds;
33 y/o (in Feb) Jacob Trouba – San Jose – $8.25 million AAV with 4 seasons left which some view as too steep a hit for an aging physical D now entering his mid-30s;
28 y/o (in Nov) Elias Pettersson – Vancouver – $11,600,000 AAV over 5 seasons which is turning out to be a problem both from a retention aspect in a r e-build situation, and trying to find a trade partner.
Pittsburgh should offer Karlsson to Vegas for Hill and Karlsson and picks
Hill and Silovs in net
Karlsson adds center depth for Pittsburgh and can flip at deadline if so desired
Gets veteran to battle silovs also incase his ask is more than 6 mill plus
Vegas gets long term cap relief from hill off the books along with offensive Dman to help for a cup run