Canucks stay busy, acquire Pettersson, O’Connor from Penguins

The Vancouver Canucks continued reshaping their roster by acquiring defenseman Marcus Pettersson and forward Drew O’Connor from the Pittsburgh Penguins, using the first-round pick they acquired in trading J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers earlier Friday night.

In addition to the Rangers’ 2025 first-round pick, the Penguin received forward Danton Heinen, defenseman Vincent Desharnais and the rights to forward Melvin Fernstrom in the trade. The Rangers’ pick is conditional. If New York picks within the top 13 selections in the 2025 draft, it becomes an unprotected 2026 first-round pick in what’s expected to be a deeper draft pool.

Pettersson and O’Connor are unrestricted free agents after the season.

“We wish both Danton and Vinny all the best in Pittsburgh and thank them for their contributions this season,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said. “We are really happy to add to the depth of our team with the acquisitions of Marcus and Drew. Marcus has good size, reach, and makes solid decisions with the puck while Drew is an intelligent player with versatility and a bigger frame.”

Pettersson, 28, was widely expected to be moved out of Pittsburgh after seven years with the team due to his expiring contract and the Penguins’ retooling. He has 18 points in 47 games this season, averaging 22:03 per game, and is a strong two-way defenseman who spent time with both Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang on the Pittsburgh blueline this season. His contract has an average annual value of $4,025,175. Pettersson had limited trade protection.

O’Connor, 26, plays both wings. He has 6 goals and 10 assists in 53 games this season, his fifth in the NHL with the Penguins. A tenacious forechecker, he was unable to stick with star centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin due to a lack of goal production. He spent the majority of his time recently in their bottom six forwards. O’Connor’s contract has an average annual value of $925,000.

Heinen, 29, is a known commodity in Pittsburgh, having played for the Penguins from 2021-23. The journeyman forward had 6 goals and 12 assists in 51 games for Vancouver this season, averaging 13:57 per game. Heinen is signed through the 2025-26 season with a $2.25 million cap hit.

Desharnais, 28, is a 6-foot-7 defenseman who signed with Vancouver as a free agent after two seasons in Edmonton. He had three assists in 34 games with 34 penalty minutes, playing 15:58 per game. A penalty killing defenseman, he’s also signed through the 2025-26 season with a $2 million cap hit.

The trade follows an early evening blockbuster that saw the Canucks send Miller to the Rangers for forward Filip Chytil, defenseman Victor Mancini and their 2025 first-round draft pick.

Miller is expected to play for the Rangers at the Boston Bruins on Saturday afternoon.

Vancouver lost its first game after the Miller trade, 5-3, to the Dallas Stars.