The Ottawa Senators are still hunting for the move that pushes them from hopeful to dangerous, and the idea of landing Elias Pettersson would fit that bill in a way few others could. It would also be the kind of swing nobody sees coming from Steve Staios, which is exactly why it feels remotely plausible.
Staios has not exactly lived by the leak-and-tease model. Even the Brady Tkachuk situation, which had been whispered about for years, broke fast and without warning when it finally happened. So if Ottawa is going to make one more major push, the surprise factor would be baked in.
Pettersson is the name that stands out. The Senators have quietly loaded up on Swedish talent in a short span, moving from just Fabian Zetterlund and former Vezina winner Linus Ullmark last season to adding William Eklund, Andre Burakovsky and backup goaltender Samuel Ersson. That may be nothing more than roster-building coincidence, but it also makes for a neat fit with a top Swedish player who is available in Vancouver.
The Canucks-Pettersson situation has been dragging on for more than a year, and it has not been smooth. There has been speculation tied to locker room issues with former Canuck JT Miller, a knee injury that may have been more serious than first thought, and personal issues that have complicated his recent stretch. The numbers have dipped too: after signing his eight-year, $11.6 million contract, he put up 45 points and then 51 points in consecutive seasons.
That’s the part that would give Ottawa pause, because the price to get him would not be light. But the upside is obvious.
Pettersson is the kind of forward who can hurt teams at both ends, has multiple 30-goal seasons, a 100-point season on his resume, and can also play wing. At his best, he looks like a top-10 player in the league.
The risk is just as obvious: he has been more of a second-line producer for the last two seasons while carrying that hefty cap hit.
Whether the Senators could even make it work depends on salary retention from Vancouver. If the Canucks don’t keep any money on the books, Ottawa would have to clear space, with Andre Burakovsky’s $5.5 million cap hit the clearest outgoing piece.
Even then, the Senators would still need to move at least $3 million more, which could mean Warren Foegele or Ridly Greig. Vancouver would naturally prefer Greig, given his age and upside, while Foegele is the more established player and less appealing to a team thinking long term.
Add in the second-round pick Ottawa got in the Tkachuk deal, and the framework starts to take shape.
If Vancouver retains $3 million, Pettersson would come in at $8.6 million, but the cost would climb. Ottawa would still need to create room with Burakovsky, and Greig would likely have to be part of the package. The second-round pick from Florida would almost certainly be in play too, along with a premium prospect such as Logan Hensler or newly drafted Jaxon Cover.
It’s a massive gamble, no question. But if Ottawa believes Pettersson just needs a fresh start, this would be the kind of high-risk, high-reward move that can change the conversation around a team in a hurry.
In Other News...
Brady Tkachuks Ottawa Return Is About To Reopen Old Wounds
The NHLs newly released 2026-27 schedule already has one date circled in Ottawa, and it comes early in the season. Brady Tkachuk is set to make his first return to the Canadian Tire Centre on Oct. 21, a reunion that will carry plenty of baggage after the Senators moved their former captain to Florida in a summer trade that brought back a haul of draft capital.
The deal was framed as a major reset for Ottawa, but it also ended a run that had long felt headed for a split. Reports had suggested Tkachuk was not planning to re-sign with the Senators, and his departure only sharpened the sting of a playoff exit that ended with a sweep by Carolina and a pointless finish from the captain after a fight with Jordan Staal. When he comes back wearing Panthers colors, it figures to reopen plenty of old wounds. [Read more 🡒]
The Senators Passed On A Franchise-Altering Chance In 1993
The Senators first draft day as a franchise still looms over the organization more than three decades later, and it starts with the pick that was supposed to change everything. In 1993, Ottawa took Alexandre Daigle first overall, a selection that came with the kind of hope expansion teams dream about, especially with the pressure of building an identity from scratch.
What makes that night sting even more is the chance Ottawa passed up before making the pick. Quebec reportedly had a trade package on the table that would have sent a pair of future NHL standouts and more to the Senators, turning a single decision into one of the defining what-ifs in franchise history. Daigle showed promise early, but the long view is what keeps this story alive for Ottawa fans, because the players they passed on went on to shape the league in ways the Senators never got to benefit from. [Read more 🡒]