I don't agree.
Just like the Canucks jumped at acquiring Lindholm, teams acquire exclusive negotiation rights for the term of the contract, plus the possibility to offer an 8 year contract rather than a 7 year contract which is a huge advantage for the Club and the player.
If "Your Vancouver Canucks" (in small printed: entirely owned and operated by the Aquilinis) put Pettersson on the market, he would likely be the most valuable (healthy)m young trade asset made available in many, many years.
It was interesting listen to Sat Shah, who prior to the game, was coming up with trade scenarios involving Pettersson, if Pettersson doesn't want to sign.
He suggested that a trade with the Ducks involving Leo Carlsson (whom he called a young Sundin) and Mason McTavish ++ would be starting point.
If the Ducks included another asset like Zegras, whom the Ducks are peddling at the moment, a trade like this could make the Canucks a better team immediately and in the future.
What sort of insight does does Sat Shah have to make such a claim barring pure speculation? If I'm the Ducks, I'd laugh hysterically at such a demand. You don't trade two cost controlled assets with the potential McTavish and Carlsson have, nevermind add to it. Could we bring in one of them? Maybe but the rest of that package would be
decidedly smaller than you're outlining.
You can't seriously be suggesting McTavish, Carlsson and Zegres. That's ludicrous. We'll just ignore it absolutely destroys the Ducks future, thus making the trade for Pettersson pointless.
All that aside, we have a prime example of a young, top tier player opting not to sign in a Canadian market. Tkachuk is every bits as good as Pettersson yet he brought back a 30 year old Huberdeau, and Weeger, both pending UFAs--the former coming off an insanely bloated career year.
A realistic trade would be something around Marner is the Leafs wanted to break up the "core four" and ease Tavares into significantly reduced role or let him walk entirely. That trade would have small additions at most and little else. That's what you're looking at for Pettersson. Not a slew of top tier prospects and roster players.