Canucks make another blockbuster trade on Friday!

The Vancouver Canucks are not done making moves. After pulling off a massive trade that sent forward J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers, the Canucks made another transaction late on Friday night, acquiring defenseman Marcus Pettersson from the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

The full deal involves :

TO VANCOUVER

Marcus Pettersson
Drew O’Connor

TO PITTSBURGH

Danton Heinen,
Vincent Desharnais,
Melvin Fernstrom
and the first-rounder acquired tonight from the Rangers in the J.T. Miller trade.

The second massive trade of the night for Vancouver came after the Canucks lost 5-3 to the Stars in Dallas. 

Right before puck drop the Canucks had moved Miller, along with Erik Brannstrom, and Jackson Dorrington to the New York Rangers in exchange for Filip Chytil and defenseman Victor Mancini . The Canucks are also getting a top-13 protected first-round pick in 2025. If the pick lands in that range, it will convert to an unprotected pick in 2026. 

As part of the trade, Pittsburgh will receive whichever of the New York Rangers’ 2025 or 2026 first-round draft picks that Vancouver receive earlier tonight.

In this trade again today, no salary is retained in the transaction.

Pettersson is a pending unrestricted free agent who makes just $4.025 million for the remainder of the season. He is reliable in his own zone and can produce as well and has recorded three goals and 18 points, along with a -2 rating in 47 outings this season.

O’Connor has tallied six goals and 10 assists in 53 games and will leave Pittsburgh, who signed him as an undrafted player in March 2020.

Heinen is signed through the 2025-26 campaign and his contract carries an average annual value of $2.25 million. He returns for his second stint with the Penguins, previously playing in Pittsburgh from 2021-23. He established a career high in goals (18) and power-play goals (3) as a member of the Penguins in 2021-22.

Desharnais is signed through the 2025-26 season and his contract carries an average annual value of $2 million. He is in his third NHL season and has tallied three assists in 34 games, after playing in 148 career NHL games with Vancouver and Edmonton, tallying one goal, 18 assists and 19 points.

Fernstrom, 18, is currently playing overseas with Orebro HK of the SHL, Sweden’s top professional league. In 35 games with Orebro HK, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound forward has notched three goals, five assists and eight points.