Things just got REAL for the Canucks...

Things just got real for the Vancouver Canucks as Elias Pedersen's agent J.P. Berry speaks out in a recent interview revealing the shocking truth on Pedersen's future with the Vancouver Canucks and is going as far as saying it may be coming to an end. We have a lot to break down, the massive implications and much more later on in this episode. Before we get into that I just want to give a big thank you and shout out to you guys for helping us reach 7,000 subscribers. It's awesome to see the community grow, you guys enjoying the content and just following along as we're going into year two covering the Vancouver Canucks. So hopefully you guys are enjoying that but let's hop straight into the first topic today. Where we do know, listen, a lot of people spoke out on Pedersen recently. Before we get into the comments we just need to look at how Pedersen's been playing. 45 points in 64 games after signing his contract extension is not good enough. We know this. We've seen Rick Tockett speak on how Pedersen trained last offseason. Going into the season saying it's unacceptable and has to change. We've seen Patrick Albien come out to even say that they're keeping all options open. On their superstar going into this year's offseason. Things are getting very hectic and this led to Pedersen's agent JP Berry speaking out in a recent interview. Berry continues on to say it's a business. We all know they had discussions in We'd be naive to think they didn't explore every possibility with the situation they had this year so I'm sure that's still possible. Now this was during the interview when he was asked about the possibility of Pedersen being moved on from the Vancouver Canucks. Now the biggest thing with Pedersen, listen, the production has not been great. This is the production for someone getting We know year one of eight he expires at the age of 33. The Canucks have seven more years with Pedersen if he is not moved. The big thing with this we all know that his no trade clause kicks in on July 1st. So if the Canucks are looking to move on from this trade has to happen before then or Pedersen has the full reins to say hey I don't want to go to this team find me a better home which could affect how much value you get. This could be the difference of draft picks or player so the Canucks management need to figure this out. Now looking at Pedersen the biggest thing is year one of eight if you had a down year before signing this contract you look at this and say hey at least we're getting them for cheaper. Coming off a productive season and then signing this contract to dip in production is what hurts the Canucks the most. Coming off a 89 point season just in 2023-24 we see him follow up with half the points with 45 and 64 games. His career high was two seasons prior to this one 102 points we're at 39 goals. We've seen his production drop season after season and listen I think Pedersen can get it back. When looking at Albion he really spoke on saying listen it's only been one bad year and like I said this is a bad bad year. When you look how much he's being paid but Barry continues on speaking on the trade rumors saying a highly paid player that got a great contract he wants to do better. I think there's a lot of motivation for him but I'm not surprised that they are going to push the buttons he's heard it loud and clear. This really makes it seem like the Canucks management are looking at Pedersen saying hey if you're not putting in the effort and we know Pedersen delayed his return home to Sweden to stay with the Canucks to work in this offseason he still will be heading home to train but it seems like he is more bought in on the thought of turning his career around which is a good sign for the Canucks but if we see the Canucks management look at this and say hey it's not enough we could see them really push the buttons like it said he's heard it loud and clear he could be on the move to a new team. Now he continues on by saying not really surprised it's a business but Elias is planning a big offseason he's super determined to have a great season next year now this is one of the situations yes I love to hear this I love that Petey is looking forward to having a great offseason bringing that in to turn things around but that's saying one thing and we need to see him prove it this is where things with the management gets a little tricky because you can go into next season he turns things around if Pedersen returns to his 102 points or more this is exactly what the Canucks need to make the next step to contend yes they need to fill out more on the roster but getting your franchise guy back to that franchise level is what would help the Canucks but if the Canucks wait till July 1st as I said with the no trade clause kicking in if they go to move them and say the Buffalo Savers offer Tage Thompson plus which this is just speculating then we could see the Canucks say yeah sure let's do it then Petey could fully decline it say I'm not doing it I want to go to a more competent team sorry Buffalo Savers fans but we need to figure this out sooner rather than later than being stuck with a star player being paid quite a bit of money if he's not going to turn things around now looking through what Pedersen has 11.6 million is Pedersen's contract which is almost double on everyone's contract at forward for the Vancouver Canucks this season Brock Besser is set to walk in free agency Pew Suter is still not signed and a possible player to walk as well but down the middle the Canucks need to figure things out if Petey turns things around yes awesome you get your first line center if he's traded you can acquire more players or picks to go out to get more centers but at the current moment with Pedersen being the top line center Philip Heidel Teddy Bluger Pew Suter who's set to either walk or sign with Canucks Atu Ratu Nils Amman this might not get it done for the Canucks to make the push we see them have their success when they had a top two centers of JT Miller and Pedersen going into the postseason management has made it very clear that they want to go get a center via trade or free agency this Canucks team has to figure out the centers they need to figure out their forward group as I've said many times I think the defensemen are pretty well off and I think it's a competent team on defense that could make a push but the centers need to be figured out a new winger a new center they need to add a lot and this is where a possible Petey trade where you acquire two more pieces to make this retool re whatever you want to call it a lot easier now possibilities you could go into free agency and say hey let's sign someone there's a lot of guys hitting John Tavares is probably not going to walk from the Toronto Maple Leafs Nicholas Backstrom is a name that is close to retirement we've seen with the Washington Capitals Claude Drew is a very interesting name maybe you see him come in as a veteran presence on that second line center Brock Nelson the same thing Granlin could come in Sam Bennett would be the perfect piece but does seem like he's going to end up returning to the Florida Panthers there's a lot of guys here that yes you could go out and sign but it's going to be a bidding war heading into free agency as the Canucks try to figure this out on what to do with this center position as I said if you trade Pedersen it's not like you can just go out get draft capital and say hey let's go sign two guys we're going to compete again if you get Claude Drew and Bennett sure that makes your team really good but I don't think it's better than the current situation the Canucks are dealing with now if you go out you keep Pedersen and you do sign a guy like Claude Drew or Sam Bennett then you have your center rotation of maybe Pedersen Drew or Bennett then you can work your way down and sign someone like Pew Suter bring him back this looks a lot better but it does come down to this July 1st when that trade kicker really kicks in because this is where we could see Pedersen and his camp say hey we don't want to leave if they don't turn things around you're stuck with us until we decide where we want to go he could demand to go to a team that doesn't have the assets to give up for a star player and listen I know star player a lot of people's not going to like me saying that after the season that Pedersen had yes it's not great but a star player in my eyes 26 years old is a player that we've seen put up over 100 points I think he can turn things around a lot of fans are definitely going to disagree with me a lot of the media will disagree with me as well but we've seen that he can do it we're hoping he can do it again and if not it really screws the Canucks for not only right now but for the like I've said next seven seasons where they're stuck with someone that they can't just decide their own future on unless they make a move now but Canucks fans what's your thoughts on this what's your thoughts on all of just JP Berry's comments on the possibility trade on how they're sure looking at possibilities that it might be Pedersen's end of his career it's going to get very interesting with the Vancouver Canucks so then leave a comment on what would be your preferred outcome because mine would be Pedersen turning around having 100 points again but fans might feel differently so let me know down in the comments way down there leave a like subscribe share this with your friends we'll be back with another episode so keep your eyes for that but I've been your host host Mark Pye and super tired today but hopefully we're getting through this and take care