The Buffalo Sabres have emerged as leading contenders to land Vancouver Canucks star Elias Pettersson in a trade partnership nobody saw coming. According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, reporting the news during Sportsnet's "Saturday Headlines" segment,

The Vancouver Canucks signed Elias Pettersson to an eight-year, $92.8 million contract extension in March, ensuring he wouldn’t hit restricted free agency and committing to the 26-year-old as a core piece for the future. Less than a year later, Petterson is at the center of NHL rumors ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.

The dust is still settling around the NHL following a massive blockbuster deal between the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, and the Chicago Blackhawks.

But with discussions for Miller not seemingly going well, it appears that teams are still calling about Pettersson.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed during Sportsnet's "Saturday Headlines" segment that the Canucks were in fact close to trading star forward Elias Pettersson to the Hurricanes. “There was a time (Friday) I thought that Pettersson was going to be a Carolina Hurricane,” Friedman said. “Obviously, it didn’t happen.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported on Sportsnet's "Saturday Headlines" that Pettersson has informed Canucks management that he "would like to stay" with the team, offering the franchise some clarity on his vantage point.

When Mikko Rantanen was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes, it surprised many, including myself. We knew that the Colorado Avalanche and Rantanen were having difficulty finding common ground for a contract extension.

If rumors are true and the Vancouver Canucks are interested in trading star Elias Pettersson, Adam Proteau says the Buffalo Sabres' reported pursuit of the Canucks center is a good idea.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has reported that the Buffalo Sabres have emerged as trade contenders to acquire Vancouver Canucks star Elias Pettersson.