New Canucks And Avalanche Additions Get Huge Opportunities To Impress

Martin Necas and Marcus Pettersson

Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Hockey trades are back in the NHL. And they’re delivering fascinating results, as we saw when the Colorado Avalanche visited the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.

With the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off landing during prime trade season, teams have gotten to work a little earlier. And while a few clear sellers are collecting the usual picks and prospects, teams with playoff aspirations are also making deals with each other.

New Canucks Marcus Pettersson, Filip Chytil and Drew O’Connor, as well as the Avalanche’s Martin Necas and Mackenzie Blackwood, are getting golden opportunities with their new clubs. Their fresh starts bring fresh vibes to the rest of the squad as well.

“I think anytime you get some new faces in the mix, they’re all excited, and it’s contagious,” Canucks left winger Jake DeBrusk told reporters on Tuesday.

The Canucks haven’t even had time for a practice with their new additions since a pair of trades last Friday. But the fresh faces have made good impressions in their two games so far — a 3-2 overtime loss to the surging Detroit Red Wings on Sunday, then a 3-0 shutout win over the dangerous Avalanche.

Marcus Pettersson’s arrival on the left side of the defense couldn’t have come at a better time, with Quinn Hughes missing a second-straight game on Tuesday due to an undisclosed injury.

Pettersson’s ice time has jumped to 24:30 a game with Vancouver — more than two minutes higher than what he averaged with the Pittsburgh Penguins this season. On Tuesday, Pettersson and Tyler Myers successfully shut down the NHL’s leading scorer, Nathan MacKinnon, and his even-faster new linemate, Martin Necas.

“You’ve got to embrace the challenge,” Pettersson said after the game. “Maybe in the first, we gave them a little bit too much respect and too much room. When we can play them tight and have numbers, it really helps us. It was a fun game.”

According to #Canucks Tyler Myers, Marcus Pettersson is being called Petey while defenceman Elias Pettersson’s nickname is Junior

— Adam Kierszenblat (@Adamkblat) February 4, 2025

After being outshot 10-8 in the first frame, Canucks coach Rick Tocchet swapped high-energy Conor Garland in with Elias Pettersson and DeBrusk and moved Brock Boeser with newcomers Filip Chytil and Drew O’Connor.

“We were communicating well, and those guys are fast on the ice, so I’m trying to keep up,” said Boeser, who scored his first goal in six games. “It was good, and I thought we forechecked well.”

Chytil made a marvelous first impression on Sunday, delivering a thrilling game-tying goal against the Red Wings and going 9-for-12 in the faceoff circle.

In his two games with Vancouver, Chytil’s ice time is up by more than six minutes from his average with the New York Rangers to 20:24. While rumors swirl that the Canucks are looking for another top-six center option, Chytil seems determined to show he can play that role.

“I don’t want to overstate it, but I think Chytil and Drew O’Connor, the speed and their willingness to take the puck in the middle on a rush, it’s a little breath of fresh air,” said Rick Tocchet. “When you see he’ll take that puck, he goes in the middle of the ice and that’s when things happen. Just adding those two guys has helped our rush game. You can see (assistant coach) Yogi (Svejkovsky) — we’re smiling, because that’s the stuff we need.”

So far, O’Connor’s role as a utility winger has been similar to what he played with Pittsburgh. But he has already earned the opportunity to be out defending the lead while the Avalanche were pressing with the extra attacker. He was rewarded by scoring his first goal into the empty net — while earning praise for how he executed.

“O’Connor gets it standing still,” Tocchet said. “Most guys just throw it out, might ice the puck. He skates it and gets the empty net. That’s a big play, because he can skate.”

While the Avs didn’t get the result they wanted as they opened their three-game Western Canada swing, they’ve also seen new additions step into big roles.

Necas played a career-high 25:08 in his first game with Colorado after being acquired in exchange for Mikko Rantanen. He has five points in six games so far, and his average ice time is up by nearly five minutes a game from the 18:05 he played for Rod Brind’Amour in Carolina this season.

In net, Mackenzie Blackwood has made the most of his new opportunity in Colorado. Since the Avalanche acquired him on Dec. 9, Blackwood’s made 20 appearances in 24 games.

Colorado GM Chris MacFarland turned heads when he signed Blackwood to a rich five-year contract extension less than three weeks after acquiring him. So far, that faith looks justified.

Blackwood surrendered two goals on 30 shots on Tuesday after posting back-to-back shutouts last week. He’s now 12-6-2 with his new team, with a .926 save percentage and 2.04 goals-against average.

For reference, Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck leads the NHL at a .925 SP and 2.04 GAA for the year. Blackwood has been just as good in his new home.

Will we see more big deals go down before the break starts on Sunday? Or after?

There’s no official trade freeze during the 4 Nations Face-Off — and practices will resume for players who aren’t in the tournament on Feb. 18, before the championship game takes place.

Buckle up.