Trade chatter surrounding J.T. Miller continues to heat up. According to the TSN insiders, the Vancouver Canucks are widely expected to trade the 30-year-old forward, but the exact timeline remains uncertain. Pierre LeBrun noted it could happen this week, next week, by the deadline or in the summer. While a move could happen as soon as this week, it’s also possible the Canucks wait until the March 7 trade deadline.
Several contenders have expressed interest in Miller, including the New York Rangers, Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils and Dallas Stars. Each team is evaluating whether Miller is the type of player they want to go “all-in” on.
The Rangers are still in the mix on Miller, with a report from Cam Robinson of Elite Prospects saying the two sides are back at the table after a near deal fell apart earlier this week. The latest offer of a conditional first-rounder, Filip Chytil and Ryan Lindgren was rumored but supposedly declined.
Meanwhile, LeBrun confirms the Hurricanes are reportedly exploring a trade as they look for more offense. It’s not clear who was offered in a deal, but Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jack Roslovic both came up in recent rumors.
The New Jersey Devils are weighing the pros and cons of pushing their chips in on Miller, LeBrun adds.
Finally, the Stars are considering taking a bit of swing because they have cap space with Tyler Seguin on LTIR. Miller might fit into their plans.
One thing that has come up is the speculated ask by Vancouver that any team looking at Miller offer something useful the Canucks can immediately insert into their lineup. It was previously reported that the Canucks were only willing to do a deal if the players coming back kept the team competitive in the mix for a playoff spot. That seems to have changed.
To keep as many teams in the mix as possible, the Canucks are now willing to talk to contenders about picks and younger prospects. This doesn’t necessarily indicate Vancouver is giving up on the season, but they seem to understand that teams looking at Miller, but also a run at the Stanley Cup aren’t interested in taking from their roster to make this trade.
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