Story byBilly HeyenMon, March 2, 2026 at 8:44 PM UTC·1 min readCanucks' Elias Pettersson assigns blame for trade rumors to odd place originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Elias Pettersson has certainly heard the trade rumors. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Vancouver Canucks' star has a bit of a fascinating take on where they come from, though. He was asked in a media session Monday if he's surprised to hear his name involved in rumors. His response:"I mean, it's you guys who make the trade rumors so ask yourself."MORE: Elias Pettersson breaks silence on Canucks benching before deadlineIt's fair for Pettersson to be a tad frustrated and want to put the blame on someone else here. The reality, though, is that NHL insiders who are reporting on real trade possibilities aren't making stuff up. They're using sources in the game, whether that be front office members or agents, to figure out what might be coming. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementYes, there are also articles that simply predict what might be coming, and that might be secondarily based on already reported rumors. There are also people out there seeking to get engagement on fake trade news. But in general, the legitimate rumors that exist are based in real information. MORE: The Connor McDavid reason the Oilers have to do somethingPettersson has found himself in trade rumors in part because he's really struggled to score goals for the Canucks despite being a center on a long-term, expensive contract. Another team could seek to improve him with a change of scenery, but that contract would be a lot for another team to take aboard. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementVancouver is heading toward a rebuild, so the Canucks will surely trade some players this week before Friday's deadline. Will Pettersson move? Apparently it depends if reporters decide a deal is getting done. More NHL news:Oilers want 2 positions before the NHL trade deadlineA salary cap rule may make 2 Flames trades difficultSidney Crosby breaks silence on injury, Olympics and rest of Penguins' seasonIt'll be complicated to trade for Steven StamkosAlex Ovechkin has shared an update on his retirement plansEvgeni Malkin gets big news on a possible future.
