VANCOUVER — Exactly two years after Elias Pettersson signed his $92.8-million contract extension that carried the fifth-highest salary-cap hit in the National Hockey League, the struggling Vancouver Canucks’ centre is again clouded by trade rumours.

The Canucks strong-armed Pettersson into re-signing on March 2, 2024 by working on a potential trade – reportedly with the Carolina Hurricanes – ahead of the NHL deadline that season.

With this year’s trade deadline on Friday, PostMedia reported on the weekend that the Detroit Red Wings are pursuing Pettersson, the 27-year-old centre who has 35 points in 51 games, and Saturday in Seattle was benched by Canucks coach Adam Foote for the final 10 minutes in a 5-1 loss to the Kraken – Vancouver’s 19th defeat in 21 games.

Pettersson’s current status, and the Canucks’ low negotiating leverage, would have been unfathomable two years ago.

On the day he signed his eight-year deal, the Swede was tied for 10th in NHL scoring with 29 goals and 75 points in 62 games.  He was coming off a 102-point season. In 135 games since then, not including Pettersson’s dismal playoff run in 2024, he has 33 goals and 94 points, which is tied for 135th in the NHL over the last 24 months.

Although Pettersson appeared to be rebounding somewhat this season before getting injured in December, he’ll never escape the weighty implications of that $92.8-million contract.

“Yeah, I mean, who wouldn’t (mention it)?” Pettersson told reporters after the morning skate ahead of Monday night’s home game against the Dallas Stars. “I mean, I haven’t lived up to expectations of the contract, and I’ll be the first one to say it. Obviously, I wish I would be different (and had) played better, a lot more points. But it is what it is. I’m trying to play a good game tonight and see what happens.”

Asked if he’s surprised, two years later, to be the subject of trade rumours, he said: “I mean, it’s you guys who make the trade rumours, so ask yourself.”

With no goals in 13 games for Pettersson and no shots in two contests since returning from the Olympics, it’s not surprising that Foote finally reached the point on Saturday where he pulled one of the last coaching levers available to him and benched his alternate captain.

“I mean, Petey’s a top-line centre,” Foote explained Monday. “In my opinion, the last game, he didn’t have the zip, didn’t have the energy and I wanted to make an adjustment. He and I will talk today before the game. He’s good. I think you’ll see him react the way we want him to react, respond the way we want him to respond, and I don’t expect anything less.”

On Saturday, Foote told reporters in Seattle: “He’s got to be better, and he knows that, he’s aware of that. We need more from him and he’s got to find it. He knows he’s got to be better for us and we’ll see that next game. (He has) got to play with more zip, like, more pace to his game, more engaged. Good things will happen when he gets his motor going.”

All of this was entirely fair and, really, not especially harsh.

But the coach’s critique stood out because Foote, despite the tire-fire of the Canucks season and organization’s dramatic pivot towards a rebuild, has rarely gone public with any unhappiness over individual players.

“(There’s) no sense of me giving the media something that they don’t need to have,” Foote said. “I’ve always believed in fixing our stuff in house, and we’ll continue to be that way.

“You know what? When we’re a team that’s ready to win three playoff series and we’re ready to win a Stanley Cup, and we’re playing on all cylinders like Dallas is, and we have laid three eggs in a row, you’ll see me publicly go off. We’re in a completely different situation here this year.

“There’s guys that are working. It’s a fine line every day coming to work when you have veterans and youth and them working together to stay on the boat and play the right way. And they’ve done a good job doing it. We want better results, but it’s part of the process.”

Foote praised Pettersson for his attitude. The player has acknowledged his shortcomings with coaches and been open to their ideas and instruction.

“He’s had a great attitude with it,” Foote said. “Sometimes all you (can) take away is some ice at this level. When I played, if someone took my little ice (away). . . the next game, I was coming out with vengeance. And I know Petey will respond the right way tonight.”

On getting benched, Pettersson said: “He saw what’s best for the team to try to win the game and I respect his decision. And I need to be better.

“I mean, it sucks losing. We’re last in the league; it’s a terrible feeling. But I’m just trying to play a good game tonight and take it from there.”

The Canucks’ final game before Friday’s deadline is Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Dropped to the fourth line in Seattle before watching the final 9:47, Pettersson skated Monday morning back on the first line between wingers Evander Kane and Jake DeBrusk.

Defenceman Tyler Myers, who came out of the lineup to consider a trade proposal presented to him by management nearly a week ago, will miss a third straight game tonight.