Sometimes, you’ve really got to wonder at the veracity of a rumour. Other times, it’s so obviously true that it only barely counts as speculation.
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The latter is definitely the case when it comes to recent word that the Columbus Blue Jackets might be interested in trading for Elias Pettersson. Because of course they are.
Against all odds, the Blue Jackets are – as of this writing, anyway – still in a playoff position. That’s a remarkable accomplishment, given the general expectations surrounding the team and the unspeakable tragedy it suffered this past summer.
The Blue Jackets are big on pluck and fortitude, but they’re also definitely lacking in upper-level talent, especially since parting ways with Patrik Laine. Right now, it’s Zach Werenski and a whole bunch of supporting characters, at best. They outright need an offensive star, and badly, if they’re going to continue to progress into any sort of contending team.
<blockquote class="bluesky-embed" data-bluesky-uri="at://did:plc:ejfvb2wjz5yt6kw6jfpqhn6n/app.bsky.feed.post/3lgyxqgqoa62o" data-bluesky-cid="bafyreiebrfllrhuqmcwp2cexnbydoulzapdgzm6m6obltci365ieaaux4q">
LeBrun: Blue Jackets “a team to talk about” in Pettersson trade rumours
&mdash; <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ejfvb2wjz5yt6kw6jfpqhn6n?ref_src=embed">CanucksArmy (@canucksarmy.bsky.social)</a> <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ejfvb2wjz5yt6kw6jfpqhn6n/post/3lgyxqgqoa62o?ref_src=embed">2025-01-31T02:37:33Z</a></blockquote>
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That’s why, when Pierre LeBrun says that Columbus is “a team to talk about” in regards to Pettersson, we believe him.
So, let’s talk about it – and, specifically, what the Blue Jackets might be able to offer the Canucks in return for Pettersson.
<blockquote>The Major Pieces</blockquote>
Unless they’re planning to trade Werenski – and they’re not – the Jackets don’t have anyone who can match Pettersson in one-for-one value. So, we suspect it would have to be some sort of package. We’re thinking at least one major piece, one ‘medium’ piece, and perhaps a sweetener on top of that to really seal the deal.
There are a few options to consider as potential centrepieces.
<blockquote>Adam Fantilli
C, 20, 6’2”, 199lb
$950k AAV (expires 2026, RFA)</blockquote>
2023’s second overall pick was supposed to be a star right now, but it’s been a fairly slow start to Fantilli’s NHL career. He notched 27 points in 49 games as a rookie, and is up to 29 in 51 as a sophomore, which feels like a bit of a plateau.
No one would call Fantilli a bust yet by any means. He’s still only 20. But it is fair to say that the Blue Jackets probably hoped for at least more of an offensive output by now. And if they do truly want to accelerate themselves as a franchise, a Fantilli-for-Pettersson swap is certainly one way to get there.
For the Canucks, they’d be acquiring a centre who has the potential to be as good as Pettersson at his best, who is considerably younger, and who has yet to move on from his ELC contract. There is an awful lot to like there.
<blockquote>Kirill Marchenko
RW, 24, 6’3”, 197lb
$3.85mil AAV (expires 2027, RFA)</blockquote>
Marchenko, now in his third NHL season, is enjoying a real breakout. He’s up to 20 goals and 53 points in 51 games, leading all Blue Jackets forwards in scoring. Folks always said that Marchenko had the size and skill to be a major goal-producer in the big leagues, and that certainly seems to be coming to fruition now. He’s on pace for between 30 and 40.
Swapping a centre out for a winger is always less than ideal. But as far as wingers go, Marchenko is about the best the Canucks could hope for, especially since he’s still signed at a relatively bargain rate for this season and the next two.
<blockquote>Kent Johnson
RW/C, 22, 6’0”, 180lb
$1.8mil AAV (expires 2027, RFA)</blockquote>
Aside from some injury trouble, Port Moody’s Johnson is having a real arrival season. Now in his third full NHL campaign, Johnson has 14 goals and 32 points in just 37 games. He’s finally delivering on the potential that saw him drafted at 5th overall in 2021.
The pull in acquiring a local talent with such abundant skill is obvious. That pull would be even stronger if Johnson were a full-time centre, but he’s put up most of his points this year on the wing, and given his size, that might be where he’ll be for most of his career. That makes him less ideal, but maybe the Canucks feel differently about his future as a centre.
<blockquote>Cayden Lindstrom 
C, 18, 6’4”, 214lb
Unsigned</blockquote>
Speaking of future centres…
Lindstrom was drafted at 4th overall just this past draft. It has not been a +1 season to remember, however, as a herniated disc eventually required back surgery, and as a result Lindstrom has yet to play a WHL game. But he will return, and when he does, he’ll do so as an incredibly exciting prospect. In lieu of using our own words here, we’ll just <a href="https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/739213/cayden-lindstrom">quote the EliteProspects writeup</a> on this guy, because it’s one of the most thrilling we have ever read:
“Lindstrom&#8217;s a fearless, inventive, inside-driven puck carrier, willing to bury the shoulder while darting down the wing or swashbuckle his way through defenders as he carves his way between the hashmarks. The combination of his speed and his size confers to him a massive defensive range, and the high-running motor that he plays with acts as the force multiplier that takes it even further.”
Wow. ‘Nuff said. 
<blockquote>Denton Mateychuk 
LHD, 20, 5’11”, 185lb
$887k AAV (expires 2027, RFA)</blockquote>
The Blue Jackets’ next best prospect after Lindstrom is already breaking onto their roster. Mateychuk quickly got up to PPG status at the AHL level in his rookie pro season, and has since been called up to Columbus, where he’s already skating top-four minutes. And we do mean skating. Mateychuk is an expert puck-mover who can either hustle the puck up ice or put it on his teammates’ sticks with aplomb. Here is that PMD the Canucks have been looking for, and he’s both NHL-ready and just 20 years old.
<blockquote>The Medium Pieces</blockquote>
These players don’t quite hit the radar as ‘major’ additions to a trade, but each carry considerable value on their own and work quite well as secondary pieces. Again, there are quite a few to choose from.
<blockquote>Dmitri Voronkov
LW, 24, 6’5”, 227lb
$925k AAV (expires 2025, RA)</blockquote>
Voronkov really straddles the line between a major and medium piece. On the one hand, he’s never been a particularly high-profile prospect, and is a little bit older than some of the other options on the table.
At the same time, Voronkov arrived in the NHL last year with 18 goals in 75 games, and this year he’s already matched that total in just 42 games. Combine that scoring ability with his obvious size advantages, and you’ve got a player who is probably going to keep putting up goals in this league for a very long time. He’s not quite a power forward, but he does battle well, and knows how to use that size to his advantage.
Maybe he is a major piece after all.
<blockquote>Cole Sillinger
C, 21, 6’1”, 202lb
$2.25mil AAV (expires 2026, RFA)</blockquote>
The son of former Canuck (and most other teams) Mike Sillinger has had a bit of a tough time finding his feet at the NHL level, but his current 24 points in 46 games is his best pace yet, and he’s still only 21 years old.
Sillinger possesses a lot of positive traits, including his size, his remarkable shot, and a willingness to play a two-way game. That’s probably why, unlike some of the other names we’ve mentioned thus far, Sillinger has stayed at the centre position.
His low offensive totals prevent him from being a major piece in a Pettersson trade. But if the major piece happens to not be a centre, Sillinger offers a fine centre replacement option as a secondary piece. 
<blockquote>Yegor Chinakhov
RW, 23, 6’1”, 201lb
$2.1mil AAV (expires 2026, RFA)</blockquote>
Chinakov was a bit of a surprise first round pick in 2020, and he has yet to really reward the Blue Jackets for that choice. Injuries have been a factor in each of Chinakov’s four NHL seasons thus far, including this one, where he has 14 points in 21 games.
He’s got speed to burn and a great shot, but still needs to put all that together into a big league-appropriate package.
<blockquote>Ivan Provorov
LHD, 28, 6’1”, 213lb
$4.72mil AAV [retained] (expires 2025, UFA)</blockquote>
The Canucks really shouldn’t be in the market for rentals. But if they’re hoping to trade Pettersson and still make a run at the playoffs, some blueline upgrades will almost certainly be required.
One way to immediately improve the defence would be to pick up Provorov in a deal like this. He’s playing a major role for the Blue Jackets this season, and thanks to past retention, is doing so at a very reasonable rate.
Of course, if the Canucks do trade Pettersson, they should probably do so with a longer-term vision in mind. Provorov helps now, but then he’s a UFA at the end of the year. He adds value to a trade, but cannot be the primary focus.
<blockquote>The Sweeteners</blockquote>
In short, the Blue Jackets have an abundance of picks and prospects to throw into any trade as additional sweeteners. They have names like Gavin Brindley, Stanislav Svozil, and Jordan Dumais.
They also have two first round picks this year (theirs and Minnesota’s), as well as all future first rounders. They do not have a second round pick this year or next, but they’ve got two in 2027.
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Sometimes, you’ve really got to wonder at the veracity of a rumour. Other times, it’s so obviously true that it only barely counts as speculation.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2111" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="329"></div>
&nbsp;

The latter is definitely the case when it comes to recent word that the Columbus Blue Jackets might be interested in trading for Elias Pettersson. Because of course they are.

Against all odds, the Blue Jackets are – as of this writing, anyway – still in a playoff position. That’s a remarkable accomplishment, given the general expectations surrounding the team and the unspeakable tragedy it suffered this past summer.

The Blue Jackets are big on pluck and fortitude, but they’re also definitely lacking in upper-level talent, especially since parting ways with Patrik Laine. Right now, it’s Zach Werenski and a whole bunch of supporting characters, at best. They outright need an offensive star, and badly, if they’re going to continue to progress into any sort of contending team.

https://bsky.app/profile/canucksarmy.bsky.social/post/3lgyxqgqoa62o

That’s why, when Pierre LeBrun says that Columbus is “a team to talk about” in regards to Pettersson, we believe him.

So, let’s talk about it – and, specifically, what the Blue Jackets might be able to offer the Canucks in return for Pettersson.
<blockquote>The Major Pieces</blockquote>
Unless they’re planning to trade Werenski – and they’re not – the Jackets don’t have anyone who can match Pettersson in one-for-one value. So, we suspect it would have to be some sort of package. We’re thinking at least one major piece, one ‘medium’ piece, and perhaps a sweetener on top of that to really seal the deal.

There are a few options to consider as potential centrepieces.
<blockquote>Adam Fantilli

C, 20, 6’2”, 199lb

$950k AAV (expires 2026, RFA)</blockquote>
2023’s second overall pick was supposed to be a star right now, but it’s been a fairly slow start to Fantilli’s NHL career. He notched 27 points in 49 games as a rookie, and is up to 29 in 51 as a sophomore, which feels like a bit of a plateau.

No one would call Fantilli a bust yet by any means. He’s still only 20. But it is fair to say that the Blue Jackets probably hoped for at least more of an offensive output by now. And if they do truly want to accelerate themselves as a franchise, a Fantilli-for-Pettersson swap is certainly one way to get there.

For the Canucks, they’d be acquiring a centre who has the potential to be as good as Pettersson at his best, who is considerably younger, and who has yet to move on from his ELC contract. There is an awful lot to like there.
<blockquote>Kirill Marchenko

RW, 24, 6’3”, 197lb

$3.85mil AAV (expires 2027, RFA)</blockquote>
Marchenko, now in his third NHL season, is enjoying a real breakout. He’s up to 20 goals and 53 points in 51 games, leading all Blue Jackets forwards in scoring. Folks always said that Marchenko had the size and skill to be a major goal-producer in the big leagues, and that certainly seems to be coming to fruition now. He’s on pace for between 30 and 40.

Swapping a centre out for a winger is always less than ideal. But as far as wingers go, Marchenko is about the best the Canucks could hope for, especially since he’s still signed at a relatively bargain rate for this season and the next two.
<blockquote>Kent Johnson

RW/C, 22, 6’0”, 180lb

$1.8mil AAV (expires 2027, RFA)</blockquote>
Aside from some injury trouble, Port Moody’s Johnson is having a real arrival season. Now in his third full NHL campaign, Johnson has 14 goals and 32 points in just 37 games. He’s finally delivering on the potential that saw him drafted at 5th overall in 2021.

The pull in acquiring a local talent with such abundant skill is obvious. That pull would be even stronger if Johnson were a full-time centre, but he’s put up most of his points this year on the wing, and given his size, that might be where he’ll be for most of his career. That makes him less ideal, but maybe the Canucks feel differently about his future as a centre.
<blockquote>Cayden Lindstrom 

C, 18, 6’4”, 214lb

Unsigned</blockquote>
Speaking of future centres…

Lindstrom was drafted at 4th overall just this past draft. It has not been a +1 season to remember, however, as a herniated disc eventually required back surgery, and as a result Lindstrom has yet to play a WHL game. But he will return, and when he does, he’ll do so as an incredibly exciting prospect. In lieu of using our own words here, we’ll just <a href="https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/739213/cayden-lindstrom">quote the EliteProspects writeup</a> on this guy, because it’s one of the most thrilling we have ever read:

“Lindstrom's a fearless, inventive, inside-driven puck carrier, willing to bury the shoulder while darting down the wing or swashbuckle his way through defenders as he carves his way between the hashmarks. The combination of his speed and his size confers to him a massive defensive range, and the high-running motor that he plays with acts as the force multiplier that takes it even further.”

Wow. ‘Nuff said. 
<blockquote>Denton Mateychuk 

LHD, 20, 5’11”, 185lb

$887k AAV (expires 2027, RFA)</blockquote>
The Blue Jackets’ next best prospect after Lindstrom is already breaking onto their roster. Mateychuk quickly got up to PPG status at the AHL level in his rookie pro season, and has since been called up to Columbus, where he’s already skating top-four minutes. And we do mean skating. Mateychuk is an expert puck-mover who can either hustle the puck up ice or put it on his teammates’ sticks with aplomb. Here is that PMD the Canucks have been looking for, and he’s both NHL-ready and just 20 years old.
<blockquote>The Medium Pieces</blockquote>
These players don’t quite hit the radar as ‘major’ additions to a trade, but each carry considerable value on their own and work quite well as secondary pieces. Again, there are quite a few to choose from.
<blockquote>Dmitri Voronkov

LW, 24, 6’5”, 227lb

$925k AAV (expires 2025, RA)</blockquote>
Voronkov really straddles the line between a major and medium piece. On the one hand, he’s never been a particularly high-profile prospect, and is a little bit older than some of the other options on the table.

At the same time, Voronkov arrived in the NHL last year with 18 goals in 75 games, and this year he’s already matched that total in just 42 games. Combine that scoring ability with his obvious size advantages, and you’ve got a player who is probably going to keep putting up goals in this league for a very long time. He’s not quite a power forward, but he does battle well, and knows how to use that size to his advantage.

Maybe he is a major piece after all.
<blockquote>Cole Sillinger

C, 21, 6’1”, 202lb

$2.25mil AAV (expires 2026, RFA)</blockquote>
The son of former Canuck (and most other teams) Mike Sillinger has had a bit of a tough time finding his feet at the NHL level, but his current 24 points in 46 games is his best pace yet, and he’s still only 21 years old.

Sillinger possesses a lot of positive traits, including his size, his remarkable shot, and a willingness to play a two-way game. That’s probably why, unlike some of the other names we’ve mentioned thus far, Sillinger has stayed at the centre position.

His low offensive totals prevent him from being a major piece in a Pettersson trade. But if the major piece happens to not be a centre, Sillinger offers a fine centre replacement option as a secondary piece. 
<blockquote>Yegor Chinakhov

RW, 23, 6’1”, 201lb

$2.1mil AAV (expires 2026, RFA)</blockquote>
Chinakov was a bit of a surprise first round pick in 2020, and he has yet to really reward the Blue Jackets for that choice. Injuries have been a factor in each of Chinakov’s four NHL seasons thus far, including this one, where he has 14 points in 21 games.

He’s got speed to burn and a great shot, but still needs to put all that together into a big league-appropriate package.
<blockquote>Ivan Provorov

LHD, 28, 6’1”, 213lb

$4.72mil AAV [retained] (expires 2025, UFA)</blockquote>
The Canucks really shouldn’t be in the market for rentals. But if they’re hoping to trade Pettersson and still make a run at the playoffs, some blueline upgrades will almost certainly be required.

One way to immediately improve the defence would be to pick up Provorov in a deal like this. He’s playing a major role for the Blue Jackets this season, and thanks to past retention, is doing so at a very reasonable rate.

Of course, if the Canucks do trade Pettersson, they should probably do so with a longer-term vision in mind. Provorov helps now, but then he’s a UFA at the end of the year. He adds value to a trade, but cannot be the primary focus.
<blockquote>The Sweeteners</blockquote>
In short, the Blue Jackets have an abundance of picks and prospects to throw into any trade as additional sweeteners. They have names like Gavin Brindley, Stanislav Svozil, and Jordan Dumais.

They also have two first round picks this year (theirs and Minnesota’s), as well as all future first rounders. They do not have a second round pick this year or next, but they’ve got two in 2027.

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