The pressure is mounting on the Vancouver Canucks to find a resolution to the ongoing Elias Pettersson-J.T. Miller saga.
The noise surrounding the tension between the two continues to rise. Former coaches and teammates are chiming in, and it’s a massive distraction for a Canucks team that is sliding down the standings.
With each passing day, it feels more likely that trade could be the only solution. The Canucks are reportedly considering making a major deal, and if they continue down that path, there’s an Eastern Conference team that is interested.
“I heard that [New York Rangers GM Chris] Drury would do bad things to get J.T Miller,” said Spittin’ Chiclets host Paul Bissonnette. “I keep hearing that Rangers-J.T. Miller connection.”
The Rangers are familiar with Miller. They drafted the now-31-year-old back in 2011, and he played the first 341 games of his career with the club. They also have engaged in trade talks with the Canucks looking to acquire Miller since then, including earlier this season in November.
While they were projected to be a top team this season, the Rangers have struggled and are currently in last place in the Metropolitan Division. They’ve already traded young forward Kaapo Kaako earlier this season, but more changes are expected to follow.
Acquiring Miller would give the Eastern Conference team another high-end forward who has raised his game when it matters most in the past.
Miller does have a no-movement clause, but he might be willing to waive it for a team in one of the world’s premier markets, as well as a spot closer to his home in Ohio.
But who could the Rangers offer that would interest the Canucks?
Winger Chris Kreider and centre Mika Zibanejad are both older forwards with similar cap hits to Miller. If the Canucks wanted to replace Miller’s production up front, those two are proven players, although both are struggling so far this year. Neither is among the top five Rangers point scorers this season, and both are on the wrong side of 30.
The Rangers also have a pair of young defencemen in K’Andre Miller and Braden Schneider, who the Canucks would likely be interested in. However, with neither having a cap hit above $4 million, they’d likely need to be part of a larger package to help the Rangers stay cap-compliant.
If the Canucks make Miller available and he’s willing to waive his no-movement clause, there will surely be many teams beyond just the Rangers interested. However, with their location and market size, it’s easy to see why they could be a team Miller is interested in and why they could be a good trade partner for the Canucks.