The Buffalo Sabres have emerged as leading contenders to land Vancouver Canucks star Elias Pettersson in a trade partnership nobody saw coming. According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, reporting the news during Sportsnet's "Saturday Headlines" segment, the Sabres are a serious contender to get Pettersson.

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 have been working the phones and it appears a new favourite has emerged in a potential Elias Pettersson trade.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has reported that the Buffalo Sabres have emerged as trade contenders to acquire Vancouver Canucks star Elias Pettersson.

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.

Canucks management's next steps with their star centers are crucial in the wake of Friday's three-team blockbuster.

But with discussions for Miller not seemingly going well, it appears that teams are still calling about Pettersson.

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.