[Speculation] Rangers Have Shown Interest In Canucks’ J.T. Miller

[RWJC]

Rangers Have Shown Interest In Canucks’ J.T. Miller

 

November 29th, 2024 at 9:50am CST • By Josh Erickson

 

The Rangers have “recently inquired” with the Canucks about the trade availability of star center J.T. Miller, a league source told Arthur Staple and Peter Baugh of The Athletic.

 

Those discussions have likely taken place in the last week or so amid general manager Chris Drury putting up an open-for-business sign on Monday, with Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnetreporting that he’d made both captain Jacob Trouba and three-time 30-goal scorer Chris Kreider available for trade. Four straight regulation losses and some concerning shot-attempt and scoring-chance numbers at 5-on-5 throughout the season have set Drury’s urgency dial to high as he tries to avoid last year’s Presidents’ Trophy winners slipping out of a playoff spot.

 

There’s still a fair bit of cushion for the Rangers, who have slipped to a wild-card spot but have games in hand on the three teams ahead of them in the Metropolitan Division. But they’re now on pace for 98 points after finishing with 114 a season ago and have a 29% chance of missing the playoffs, per The Athletic.

 

That could mean the Rangers are willing to leverage one of their aforementioned trade chips, or more likely struggling center Mika Zibanejad, to bring Miller back to where he started his NHL career. But as Staple and Baugh write, it’s “a long shot” to make a midseason move for such a rich contract – Miller is signed through the 2029-30 season at an $8MM cap hit. Moving Zibanejad, who’s signed for the same length at an $8.5MM cap hit, would likely require some salary retention amid his poor start and may be impossible regardless, thanks to his full no-movement clause.

 

There’s also the question of whether Miller, who also has an NMC in his contract with Vancouver, would entertain a move back to Manhattan. The 31-year-old does have six goals and 16 points in 17 games this season with a +1 rating but is currently out indefinitely while on a leave of absence for personal reasons.

 

Even though Miller is on pace for his lowest offensive output since the 2020-21 season, he would still be a significant upgrade over Zibanejad’s performance this year, which would likely require a larger package heading Vancouver’s way than a one-for-one swap. Zibanejad has been a relative non-factor with just four goals in 21 games, only three hits, and the worst possession numbers of his 14-year career by far with a 42.8 CF% and 40.9 xGF% at even strength.

 

While Drury’s initial inquiry likely won’t lead to a move, at least not imminently, it’s likely not the last time he’ll gauge Miller’s availability this season. As Baugh and Staple write, they also had interest in a reunion at the 2022 trade deadline when he was slated to become an unrestricted free agent the following summer, but he ended up sticking in Vancouver and inking his aforementioned extension.

 

Miller, selected 15th overall by the Rangers back in 2011, had 72 goals, 100 assists and 172 points in 341 games with the Blueshirts before he was traded to the Lightning at the 2018 deadline. After being flipped to Vancouver in the 2019 offseason, he’s had over a point per game in four of his five full seasons as a Canuck.

 

https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/11/rangers-have-shown-interest-in-canucks-j-t-miller.html#google_vignette

[RWJC]

[Bob Long]

Vultures.

[HKSR]

Unless there's some serious issues behind the scenes, why the hell would Vancouver move Miller to the NYR?  Talk about creating a big hole in our lineup.

[Lewlowned]

 

I have a hard time imagining a scenario where we trade Miller and are a better team. That guys impact/$ is pretty unparalleled. 

 

If he gets sent somewhere you may as well start the rebuild. This speculation seems more like mere opportunistic tire kicking from the Rangers.

[WillisD]

Unless there was a multiple player swap, and Miller agrees, not sure how this would work. 

I guess that's why it's "speculation"

[Provost]

Ya, this makes little sense unless Miller really needed to get out.

 

If there are some mental health struggles, then Manhattan isn’t the place to be parachuted in.  It would need to be a lower stress place like Carolina or LA where you can be anonymous once you are two blocks from the arena.  If it is family issues and he needs to be closer to his support network, then move him there.  
 

It would be a ridiculously complicated and big trade to make it work out if it was to happen.  How do you make both teams better when neither is rebuilding and values futures as much as winning now?  Then there is trade protection for most players involved to sort out.

 

K’Andre Miller and Trouba with 50% retained certainly helps our D core, New York can really only move one of them though without making themselves worse.

 

Most of their forwards available are older,  overpaid, and have trade protection.

 

 

Edited Friday at 08:56 AM by Provost

[Gurn]

32 minutes ago, RWJC said:

Even though Miller is on pace for his lowest offensive output since the 2020-21 season,

I wonder if that's because he has missed games recently?

 

[BCNate]

Not going to happen with both teams in their championship window.  We are ravaged by injuries and Miller's situation, but are still good enough to hang in a playoff spot until they are back.  We have the cap space to fill the holes on the roster and take a run in the playoffs.  

 

If we were looking to retool, I'd look at Laf, Schneider and a 1st, but have know interest in that at this stage.

[lionized27]

34 minutes ago, RWJC said:

Rangers Have Shown Interest In Canucks’ J.T. Miller

 

November 29th, 2024 at 9:50am CST • By Josh Erickson

 

The Rangers have “recently inquired” with the Canucks about the trade availability of star center J.T. Miller, a league source told Arthur Staple and Peter Baugh of The Athletic.

 

Those discussions have likely taken place in the last week or so amid general manager Chris Drury putting up an open-for-business sign on Monday, with Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnetreporting that he’d made both captain Jacob Trouba and three-time 30-goal scorer Chris Kreider available for trade. Four straight regulation losses and some concerning shot-attempt and scoring-chance numbers at 5-on-5 throughout the season have set Drury’s urgency dial to high as he tries to avoid last year’s Presidents’ Trophy winners slipping out of a playoff spot.

 

There’s still a fair bit of cushion for the Rangers, who have slipped to a wild-card spot but have games in hand on the three teams ahead of them in the Metropolitan Division. But they’re now on pace for 98 points after finishing with 114 a season ago and have a 29% chance of missing the playoffs, per The Athletic.

 

That could mean the Rangers are willing to leverage one of their aforementioned trade chips, or more likely struggling center Mika Zibanejad, to bring Miller back to where he started his NHL career. But as Staple and Baugh write, it’s “a long shot” to make a midseason move for such a rich contract – Miller is signed through the 2029-30 season at an $8MM cap hit. Moving Zibanejad, who’s signed for the same length at an $8.5MM cap hit, would likely require some salary retention amid his poor start and may be impossible regardless, thanks to his full no-movement clause.

 

There’s also the question of whether Miller, who also has an NMC in his contract with Vancouver, would entertain a move back to Manhattan. The 31-year-old does have six goals and 16 points in 17 games this season with a +1 rating but is currently out indefinitely while on a leave of absence for personal reasons.

 

Even though Miller is on pace for his lowest offensive output since the 2020-21 season, he would still be a significant upgrade over Zibanejad’s performance this year, which would likely require a larger package heading Vancouver’s way than a one-for-one swap. Zibanejad has been a relative non-factor with just four goals in 21 games, only three hits, and the worst possession numbers of his 14-year career by far with a 42.8 CF% and 40.9 xGF% at even strength.

 

While Drury’s initial inquiry likely won’t lead to a move, at least not imminently, it’s likely not the last time he’ll gauge Miller’s availability this season. As Baugh and Staple write, they also had interest in a reunion at the 2022 trade deadline when he was slated to become an unrestricted free agent the following summer, but he ended up sticking in Vancouver and inking his aforementioned extension.

 

Miller, selected 15th overall by the Rangers back in 2011, had 72 goals, 100 assists and 172 points in 341 games with the Blueshirts before he was traded to the Lightning at the 2018 deadline. After being flipped to Vancouver in the 2019 offseason, he’s had over a point per game in four of his five full seasons as a Canuck.

 

https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/11/rangers-have-shown-interest-in-canucks-j-t-miller.html#google_vignette

 

[HKSR]

Trochek

K.Miller

1st

 

Arguably could improve both teams especially with the Canucks having an extra 1st to ship out for additional help.

[Seventy7]

Chytil, Schneider, 1st

 

 

Am i doing this right?!

[JeremyCuddles]

Who do they think they are? Vegas? How they going to make that cap work? If we move Miller. It's for youth. Package would have to start with Kakko and K'Andre Miller. And a 1st at a minimum. Can throw Rielly Smith in there to help even out cap. But is it worth it to gut their blueline for Miller? I don't want Trouba and/or Krieder back for Miller. 

 

Not to mention to timing of it all is weird. Like, "Hey Miller, we know you're having a rough time mentally. Mind waiving your NMC so we can trade you?"

[Warhippy]

Literally zero interest in this.  Miller has shown to be the only player with heart this team has had since Bieksa burrows Kesler malhotra in the 2009-2013 era

 

Plays like linden but scores more.  Defensively sound and leaves it on the ice.

 

Trouba?  Pass

K Miller?  Meh.

 

The items that we'd need to actually even maintain our status are not items the rags have and a mid to late first, a 3-4 in K Miller do nothing to move the needle.

 

I'd even hesitate with a Lafreniere throw in

 

Teams scour the league and draft for JT type players and most top ten picks don't even sniff the run he's had since we traded for him.

 

Pass

[HKSR]

1 minute ago, JeremyCuddles said:

Who do they think they are? Vegas? How they going to make that cap work? If we move Miller. It's for youth. Package would have to start with Kakko and K'Andre Miller. And a 1st at a minimum. Can throw Rielly Smith in there to help even out cap. But is it worth it to gut their blueline for Miller? I don't want Trouba and/or Krieder back for Miller. 

 

Not to mention to timing of it all is weird. Like, "Hey Miller, we know you're having a rough time mentally. Mind waiving your NMC so we can trade you?"

Probably more like "Hey J.T. we have things lined up if you wanna get outta here for your family's sake.  Just let us know and we can make it happen for you."

[JeremyCuddles]

2 minutes ago, HKSR said:

Probably more like "Hey J.T. we have things lined up if you wanna get outta here for your family's sake.  Just let us know and we can make it happen for you."

What are we basing his family having troubles here on? From the sounds of it JT and his family love being in Vancouver. I imagine he didn't sign a NMC just to hate it here a little over a year into his contract. Lol. I don't think he has any problems with the city or the franchise.

[tas]

they can inquire all they want, it ain't happenin'. 

[RWJC]

4 minutes ago, JeremyCuddles said:

What are we basing his family having troubles here on? From the sounds of it JT and his family love being in Vancouver. I imagine he didn't sign a NMC just to hate it here a little over a year into his contract. Lol. I don't think he has any problems with the city or the franchise.

It’s all because of this guy…

 

 

jk

[Coconuts]

Miller likely isn't going anywhere unless he actually wants out

[Canuck You]

Remove @-dlc- from any sharp objects! Everyone is in danger!

[JeremyCuddles]

7 minutes ago, RWJC said:

It’s all because of this guy…

 

 

jk

Good thing this guy doesn't have trade protection yet

But yeah, I don't think there's anything here beyond NY wanting him. They've had wandering eyes for him pretty much since we acquired him. If Miller asks out, that's a different question. I just don't think he actually wants out.

[Canuck You]

CFF : Never happening, They can keep on looking..

 

Also CFF : Here's my offer......

[EdgarM]

4 minutes ago, Coconuts said:

Miller likely isn't going anywhere unless he actually wants out

 

Exactly this. It depends on what transpired prior to his "personal leave". If he had some kind of fall out with coaches and/or management this would have some legitimacy, otherwise , its a moot point.

[AnthonyG]

[Provost]

30 minutes ago, JeremyCuddles said:

What are we basing his family having troubles here on? From the sounds of it JT and his family love being in Vancouver. I imagine he didn't sign a NMC just to hate it here a little over a year into his contract. Lol. I don't think he has any problems with the city or the franchise.

It is just speculation about any extra stresses he may be facing beyond what we know.

 

Life throws you curve balls all the time.  Aging parents, sick family, cyber bullying etc.  Needing to move doesn’t mean you hate the city or team.  That is also folks saying “if” the issue is that he needs to move… we don’t know that, but that is the only way a trade makes sense.

Edited Friday at 09:46 AM by Provost