The Vancouver Canucks have seen some massive changes over the past two years, with the biggest of all being the trade of captain Quinn Hughes that brought back some intriguing young talents in Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium and Liam Ohgren.
We’ve not seen any blockbuster trades from them this off-season, with rumors still circulating around Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Filip Hronek and Jake DeBrusk, but as of right now, none appear to be on the move. One move the team did make was the trade of veteran Marcus Pettersson, and now, the 30-year-old has opened up on his departure from Vancouver and why he was open to waiving his No-Movement Clause.
Marcus Pettersson Opens up on his Vancouver Departure
GettyMarcus Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks.
Pettersson landed in Vancouver midway through the 2024/25 season in a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins, and in his lone full season with the Canucks, he was fairly productive given his history in the NHL. Across 82 games, Pettersson tallied 3 goals and 18 points, and given his abilities as a defensive defenseman, if there was more talent around him, it’s safe to say that he could have flourished in Vancouver.
However, the team are heading towards a full-fledged rebuild, and as a result, several veterans likely want out, so when Pettersson was given the opportunity to leave this summer, he jumped at the chance. That led him to New York and the intriguing Rangers, and now, he’s opened up on the reasons why he was happy to waive his NMC to depart Vancouver for a team that didn’t fare too much better in 2025/26.
It all happened very quickly, to be honest with you. But when I got the opportunity to come here, and with the history with some of the coaching staff that I have there, it was a great opportunity,” said Pettersson.
“It all happened very quickly, to be honest with you. But when I got the opportunity to come here, and with the history with some of the coaching staff that I have there, it was a great opportunity.”
On paper, this makes sense for Pettersson, as the 30-year-old defenseman likely wants a shot at the post-season, and while that’s not a guarantee in New York, following some of their moves this summer, the belief is that they could be a very good team in a tough Metropolitan Division.
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For the Canucks themselves, this move made plenty of sense too, as the team have young blue liners in (the other) Elias Pettersson, Buium and Tom Willander, all of whom are expecting to get plenty of playing time in 2026/27 and beyond.
On top of that, the team were able to get a future first-round pick in exchange for him, and after giving up the first-round pick acquired in the J.T. Miller trade to land Pettersson and Drew O’Connor, that’s a solid return for the veteran.
Ultimately, this was just no longer a fit for either Pettersson or the Canucks, and with the Rangers hoping to use his experience on the blue line to bounce back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026/27, it’s a move that worked out for everyone involved as Vancouver look to continue their rebuild that may end up taking a few years.
Canucks Veteran Reveals why he Departed Vancouver This Summer