Flashback to the 2022-23 season, and the Vancouver Canucks had a decision to make. A crowded salary cap outlook meant that keeping both J.T. Miller and Bo Horvat would be difficult. They needed to pick one to move forward with.
For a long time, it looked like Horvat was going to be the horse they backed. He was the homegrown captain, extremely popular with the fanbase, and the main power-play trigger-man.
But everything changed when the Canucks signed Miller to a seven-year, $56 million contract. The decision set the wheels in motion, leading to Horvat’s departure via trade about four months later. The captain was in the midst of an incredible shooting run and Canucks management sold high, confirming their commitment to Miller as a long-term leader of this club.
Since that date, Patrik Allvin, Jim Rutherford, and their staff have been vindicated by the on-ice results. Horvat has settled as a 60-point second-line centre with the New York Islanders while Miller blossomed, hitting the 100-point mark and helping the Canucks reach the second round of the playoffs last season.
But when the Canucks picked Miller, they did more than just bet on his on-ice results. They were also betting that the rocky relationship between Miller and Elias Pettersson, which was already established at that time, would resolve itself. That was a bet the Canucks lost, and now they’re being forced to pay up.
Had the Canucks picked Horvat, their current reality would look very different. The Ontario native seemed to get along well with everyone, is younger than Miller, and had the power play clicking at an elite level.
While the Canucks would have fewer headaches to deal with, that doesn’t mean picking Horvat would’ve been painless. He needed a new contract and eventually got $500,000 more per year than Miller. And while Horvat is a strong second-line player, scoring 33 goals and 68 points last season, Miller played at an elite level last year that is hard to replace.
The Canucks also parlayed Horvat into defenceman Filip Hronek who has become a key part of the team’s core. Keeping the captain around would’ve also made it difficult for Quinn Hughes to take on a more formal leadership role.
There are pros and cons to going with both players. But if Allvin called Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello today and offered Miller for Horvat straight up, who says no? It wouldn’t be the Canucks.
Canucks forced to deal with the consequence of their actions
The Canucks now find themselves in a tricky spot, but it’s one that was largely self-inflicted. Not only did they lock up both Miller and Pettersson long-term, but they also reportedly enlisted Miller to push Pettersson and toughen him up amid his struggles over the past 12 months, which likely had a further negative effect on their relationship.
“They believe that Miller is a strong alternate captain and that their group is a strong group. They said, ‘You guys are the ones who have to do it.’ Miller’s obviously taking that very literally,” said Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts back in October.
The Miller-Pettersson issues have never been a secret to management, but they’ve continually skipped exit options when they were offered. For that, they have no one else to blame.
They could’ve picked Horvat over Miller but chose not to. They could’ve done a better job at easing tensions but seemingly made things worse.
There’s enough blame to go around in this situation, and it doesn’t all land on the management group. At the end of the day, the two players involved shoulder the lion’s share of the responsibility. But knowing what we know now, there’s no doubt management wishes they could go back and pick Horvat over Miller.