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    Home Indoor & OutDoor Games NHL (National Hockey League) J.T. Miller commerce watch: 6 potential locations and what the Canucks might...

    J.T. Miller commerce watch: 6 potential locations and what the Canucks might get in return


    J.T. Miller’s days as a member of the Vancouver Canucks might be numbered.

    With the Canucks underperforming and rampant rumors about locker room dysfunction, Miller and Elias Pettersson’s names have each been swirling within the rumor mill during the last a number of weeks. The most recent commerce chatter has centered on Miller and reached a fever pitch.

    Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Canucks were so close to completing a Miller trade over the weekend that they considered sitting him out for Saturday’s game in opposition to the Edmonton Oilers. That reported commerce with the New York Rangers fell by means of and Miller ended up enjoying, however it’s trying more and more possible that Vancouver’s star American heart might be on the transfer earlier than the March 7 commerce deadline.

    Let’s take a more in-depth take a look at what precisely Miller brings to the desk, what the Canucks might be in search of in return and a few potential touchdown spots for him.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    What we’re hearing about the nixed J.T. Miller trade and a new Canucks direction

    What Miller brings to the lineup

    Miller has been a wonderful participant for the Canucks by means of six seasons, however he’s alternated between two completely different variations of himself.

    The apex model of Miller is an elite, celebrity expertise. It’s what the Canucks acquired from Miller throughout his 103-point marketing campaign final 12 months, his 99-point season in 2021-22 and his 86-point tempo in 2019-20.

    This model of Miller is a uncommon, distinctive beast. He’ll function with the imaginative and prescient and set-up skill of an elite playmaker, the brute physicality of a throwback energy ahead and a aggressive, high-motor, two-way type you may belief to defend in opposition to high strains. Miller is a tantalizing mix of ability and toughness, the kind of participant that may drag a group into the battle. Simply final season, he crossed the 100-point mark whereas incomes Selke Trophy votes for his two-way work matching up in opposition to the opposition’s finest on a nightly foundation. Miller’s identify was chanted in Rogers Area virtually each sport final season.

    Miller has additionally had three “down” seasons in Vancouver, nevertheless. This model of Miller remains to be a really productive participant, clicking at nearer to a 70-to-80-point tempo, however seems extra like an empty-calorie scorer than an all-around beast. That is when Miller can run into troubles with turnovers and lackadaisical defensive breakdowns. He received’t drive play with the identical degree of authority. His motor and urgency to maneuver his ft with out the puck can wane.

    Miller is presently in the midst of one among these “down” seasons. He’s scored 31 factors in 35 video games and his two-way play has been inconsistent — he’ll have robust showings like Saturday in opposition to the Oilers the place he’s a defensive workhorse in opposition to Connor McDavid — however on different nights, his defensive miscues will find yourself at the back of the Canucks’ web.

    It’s value noting Miller seems to have been enjoying banged up this season. He missed all however one among Vancouver’s preseason video games with an undisclosed harm. He’s taken a few different laborious knocks all through the season, too.

    What sort of locker room match would Miller be?

    Many will surprise if Miller might be a very good locker room/off-ice match on different groups given all of the hypothesis round a possible rift with Pettersson.

    Having coated Miller intently for six seasons, which includes extensive reporting/writing on the double-edged sword of his fiery, old-school leadership style, one of the simplest ways to sum up his off-ice impression is he amplifies the group’s present emotional state. 

    When the membership is profitable, Miller’s swagger, passionate vitality and off-ice lightheartedness (he’s an enormous chirper) can take a group to the subsequent degree. He makes the nice vibes even higher and is usually a enjoyable, in style teammate.

    When the membership is shedding, Miller can turn into annoyed, charged up and on edge. He’s blunt and unafraid to talk his thoughts, which has ruffled feathers in Vancouver.

    Miller’s not a “unhealthy man” — Vancouver’s former head coaches beloved having him as a participant and chief — however his feelings amplify the sensation of no matter a group goes by means of at a given second, whether or not it’s constructive or damaging.

    What the Canucks might be in search of

    Canucks followers ought to brace themselves for a less-than-stellar return if Miller is dealt. GM Patrik Allvin is negotiating from a place of weak spot for a number of causes:

    • Miller has main management of the scenario with a full no-movement clause. A decade in the past, Vancouver followers noticed one other high-profile top-six heart, Ryan Kesler, go for pennies on the greenback in a minimum of some half due to the participant’s leverage and management over the vacation spot.

    • Miller’s contract is a long-term threat. He turns 32 in beneath two months and has one other 5 seasons left after this one at an $8 million cap hit. That cap hit is cheap for what he’s now — and was a discount final season when he was lighting it up — however it could not age nicely, even in a rising salary-cap local weather.

    • Miller’s manufacturing and all-around efficiency are down this season.

    • The Canucks are possible exploring a Miller deal this severely as a result of they understand their core wants a significant shakeup on and off the ice. Making a commerce from that place, throughout the center of the season when groups are much less versatile so as to add high-salaried gamers, isn’t the best state of affairs to drum up a bidding battle.

    Vancouver isn’t rebuilding, so we’d count on a package deal with a mixture of younger NHLers/prospects/picks to be most interesting reasonably than a haul solely centered round draft picks and prospects.

    Groups that may provide heart expertise coming again can also have a bonus as a result of Miller’s potential departure would create an enormous gap down the center for Vancouver. The Canucks additionally don’t have many intriguing heart prospects outdoors of Aatu Räty, who tasks nearer to a future bottom-six participant.

    It’s tough to throw out a mock commerce package deal/proposal for a “honest” return on a Miller commerce. The scenario is complicated and there’s a lack of commerce comparables for Miller primarily based on age, efficiency and contractual components.

    Our greatest guess of Miller’s commerce worth proper now could be someplace within the neighborhood of a first-round choose, a middle-of-the-lineup NHL ahead or defenseman on a major wage (to make the cap math work) and a younger participant/prospect. Humorous sufficient, that’s just like the return the Canucks acquired for Kesler again within the day: a first-round choose, Nick Bonino (middle-six heart) and Luca Sbisa (younger NHLer with potential).

    Groups that might/needs to be

    New York Rangers

    The Rangers regarded to make some core modifications after a downward spiral by means of a lot of November and December. A method to do this? Purchase Miller.

    The Rangers’ curiosity in a Miller reunion has been well-documented over the previous few weeks. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe reported on talks of a Miller for Mika Zibanejad commerce. However talks broke down when the Rangers wouldn’t embrace Braden Schneider within the return.

    That wasn’t the top of the Miller to New York saga. There was reportedly another deal in the works final weekend, based on The Athletic’s Thomas Drance and Rick Dhaliwal. This deal had a special look, with Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren and a few future property because the return. 

    The Rangers and Canucks clearly haven’t discovered an ideal match for each side simply but, however the newer deal could also be a extra believable framework. A Zibanejad commerce is extra possible an offseason transfer, which doesn’t appear to agree with a Canucks group prepared to maneuver Miller before later. Buying and selling for Miller would nonetheless possible finish Zibanejad’s time in New York, only a bit extra not directly.

    Chytil is a extra possible commerce piece right here, he simply carries plenty of harm threat. Lindgren, however, might tackle one other space of want on the again finish — if his sport rebounds outdoors of Peter Laviolette’s taxing system

    Carolina Hurricanes

    The Hurricanes have had a gaping gap on the second-line heart place ever since Vincent Trocheck walked in free company.

    Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been the membership’s de facto 2C for a lot of stretches for the reason that 2022-23 marketing campaign however he’s didn’t seize the chance. He scored simply 27 factors in 79 video games final season. Within the playoffs, he mustered only one level in 11 video games and averaged simply 11 minutes per sport. He’s been higher this season however nonetheless isn’t on tempo to crack 35 factors, which isn’t as much as par with contenders’ No. 2 facilities.

    Miller would symbolize a monumental improve. The Canes can afford to take a calculated threat on Miller’s contract as a result of their long-term cap scenario is robust. Their high gamers are locked up on team-friendly offers and a few big-money veterans are coming off the books this summer time (Dmitry Orlov and Brent Burns’ expirations will unlock round $13 million and high prospect Alexander Nikishin might be instantly able to log top-four minutes subsequent season).

    Carolina’s tight in opposition to the cap this season, nevertheless, that means the Canucks would possible should take important wage again. That’s the place hypothesis round names like Kotkaniemi, who has one other 5 years left at a $4.82 million AAV, and Jack Roslovic — two gamers the Canucks have reportedly had curiosity in throughout the previous — has begun. It could be an underwhelming basis for a commerce from the Canucks’ perspective to say the least. But when they’re considerably increased on Kotkaniemi than the remainder of the business, maybe a deal might be swung.

    go-deeper

    GO DEEPER

    Which top prospects could the Canucks target in a J.T. Miller trade?

    New Jersey Devils

    The Devils’ two-way sport has taken a significant hit since coming back from the Christmas break. The group’s protection has struggled, and their offense has outright dried up.

    One option to repair that? Improve the roster. The Devils will greater than possible be in the marketplace for 2 issues within the weeks main as much as the deadline: a top-six winger improve and one other top-nine heart. Miller checks off each of these bins.

    In New Jersey, Miller would possible be initially deployed as a winger on Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes’ wing. But when both top-six heart will get injured, he might simply shift to heart. He might additionally transfer again to the center if the group simply wants a stronger top-nine method within the playoffs.

    The Devils have just a few play drivers up entrance in Hischier, Hughes and Jesper Bratt. And that could be sufficient to make up for any query marks in regards to the substance in Miller’s sport behind his highest-scoring seasons.

    Simon Nemec might be part of the return for the reason that Devils’ blue line is simply too crowded proper now, leaving him within the AHL. Dawson Mercer might carry again the middle the Canucks are in search of — if the group thinks he can drive play in a 2C capability once more. The danger there may be that Mercer can’t get again to his 2022-23 heights as a dependable scoring likelihood generator and aim scorer.

    If heart depth isn’t a precedence, perhaps somebody like Ondrej Palat goes the opposite option to create cap area the Devils must make a Miller commerce occur. 

    Dallas Stars

    The Stars’ second line of Tyler Seguin, Mason Marchment and Matt Duchene was electrical to open the season. And that helped make up for some underwhelming play from their high line. However two-thirds of that second line is sidelined with harm.

    Marchment needs to be again within the subsequent few weeks, however Seguin might be out for the subsequent 4 to 6 months. Even after Seguin ultimately returns, it should possible take him a while to get again on top of things after hip surgical procedure. So the Stars might use some reputable reinforcements. Miller would punch up Dallas’ high six and convey lineup versatility as somebody who can shift between heart and wing as wanted.

    As soon as the Stars put Seguin’s $9.85 million cap hit on LTIR, Dallas ought to have extra cap flexibility. Jamie Benn’s 9.5 million hit is coming off the books on the finish of this 12 months, together with just a few different pending free-agent forwards, which might assist Dallas take in the remainder of Miller’s contract.

    The large query is price. Would Dallas be prepared to half with an up-and-coming participant like Mavrik Bourque? Administration might be hesitant since their prospect pool is thinner than in years previous. Plus, Bourque’s entry-level wage helps stability the books round a few of their greater contracts. Then once more, the Stars have the defensive construction and younger core to offset a few of Miller’s flaws, which might make this a guess value taking. 

    Boston Bruins

    The Bruins aren’t adequate to contend proper now. However with three franchise stars in David Pastrnak, Jeremy Swayman and Charlie McAvoy signed to long-term contracts, they aren’t going to rebuild both.

    Boston’s at a crossroads proper now. The prudent path might be for the group to move toward a retool. If GM Don Sweeney is chasing a right away turnaround, although, Miller represents a singular alternative to amass a first-line heart at a value that received’t break the financial institution.

    This must be near a dollar-in, dollar-out deal to make the cap math work for Boston. With that in thoughts, would Pavel Zacha or Brandon Carlo (given the Canucks’ right-side protection woes) be interesting items for the Canucks? What about promising 20-year-old heart Matthew Poitras? How prepared would Boston be to dangle its first-round choose this 12 months, which might land within the teenagers reasonably than the late 20s?

    A commerce clearly wouldn’t contain all of these items, however these are a number of the property we surprise about. Ultimately, it’s additionally attainable making one other long-term dedication to a participant on the fallacious aspect of 30 might scare the Bruins off no matter how badly they may use a 1C.

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    Utah Hockey Club

    One in every of these groups is just not like the opposite. Not like the 5 aforementioned groups, Utah is just not a projected contender or perhaps a playoff group. It has the bottom playoff odds of the bunch at simply 14 percent as of Monday. 

    Possession has proven a willingness to spend to alter that. Simply take their first offseason once they acquired Mikhail Sergachev and the seven years remaining on his contract, carrying a $8.5 million cap hit. The John Marino commerce solely bolstered that.

    So when a participant of Miller’s caliber is obtainable on the commerce market — and at a reduction — Utah may take the leap, no matter his contract. And even when buying him isn’t sufficient to push Utah into the playoffs this 12 months, it helps higher place the group for subsequent season.

    Including Miller would tackle Utah’s largest want: power down the center. Logan Cooley is progressing, however it might assist to have one other top-flight heart within the high six. That might knock Barrett Hayton right into a extra becoming 3C position (and even make him expendable) and enhance the group’s general ahead power.

    Utah has NHL-caliber defensemen and up-and-coming forwards that might curiosity Vancouver. And the group has a number of future property at its disposal to sweeten a return. The true wrinkle is whether or not Miller could be prepared to waive his no-movement clause for Utah when it’s additional faraway from the playoff image — that might be what makes or breaks the membership as a reputable choice.

    (Picture: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Photos)



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