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

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.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed during Sportsnet's "Saturday Headlines" segment that the Canucks were in fact so 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.

WIth drama continuing to build, the Vancouver Canucks may pivot back to Elias Pettersson as the key trade piece.

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.

After Friday’s blockbuster trade between the Colorado Avalanche and the Carolina Hurricanes, which sent pending unrestricted free agent Mikko Rantanen, one of the NHL’s premier forwards, from the Avs to the Canes in exchange for sniper Martin Necas,