They say timing is everything, right?
This morning in Vancouver, Rick Dhaliwal of Donnie and Dahli reported that Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller did not travel with the team to Dallas due to injury-related reasons. Miller could miss a week with an undisclosed injury.
Miller’s name has been the subject of recent trade rumblings ahead of the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, Friday.
Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported last week that the Canucks are “considering a lot of different options” as they look to create cap flexibility going forward. Shayna Goldman, an insider with The Athletic, reported Sunday night that Miller’s name had emerged as a potential deadline move and to watch for him to be scratched.
The 29-year-old has registered 54 points (20 goals, 34 assists) in 59 contests this season, second among Canucks leaders with an average ice time of 20:36.
Miller is coming off a career-high year that saw him tally 32 goals and 67 assists for 99 points in 80 games during the 2021-22 campaign. The East Palestine, Ohio product is in the final year of a five-year, $26 million contract he signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018.
Last summer, Miller signed a controversial seven-year, $56 million extension with the Canucks. His new contract holds an average annual value of $8 million and he will be under contract through the 2029-30 season.
Miller did find himself listed at No. 16 on Frank Seravalli’s Trade Targets board here at Daily Faceoff. As Seravalli reports, “his (Miller’s) ‘no-trade’ clause kicks in on July 1 and if you’re going to do it, you might as well do it before the player gains more control.
It still seems like a longshot that Miller is moved before this deadline, but enough teams have talked about him internally that it is impossible to ignore the possibility.”
The Canucks sit sixth in the Pacific Division with a record of 23-31-5 and a point percentage of .432%. They get ready to take on the 31-16-12 Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center.
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