The Vancouver Canucks are dealing with some serious drama around their top stars J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson, with trade rumors swirling as both players struggle through scoring slumps.
Things nearly came to a head Saturday when Miller was almost scratched for a potential trade to the New York Rangers. The deal fell through at the last minute, and Miller ended up playing – and playing well – in the Canucks’ 3-2 win over Edmonton.
It was actually Miller’s best game in a while, with two primary points. He hadn’t scored since January 6th.
The tension has been building for weeks. Head coach Rick Tocchet even benched Miller recently, suggesting the star forward had given up on his teammates during a tough loss.
Despite the drama, Miller’s still putting up solid numbers. He’s got 31 points in 35 games this season – on pace for 73 points. That would be his lowest full-season total since joining Vancouver, but it’s still pretty impressive.
His impact on the team has been incredible since arriving. Miller’s racked up 433 points in 399 games as a Canuck, more than anyone else on the team. Quinn Hughes is next closest with 380 points, followed by Pettersson with 375.
The Rangers’ interest makes sense – they’re dealing with their own locker room issues around Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. Any trade would likely need to include one of those players, plus some promising prospects like Brennan Othmann or Gabe Perreault.
Meanwhile, Pettersson seems more likely to stick around Vancouver. The 2017 fifth overall pick has been a star since day one, winning Rookie of the Year with 66 points in his first season. Last year was his best yet – 39 goals and 102 points.
The Canucks are making it clear they’re in control of the situation. They’ve warned other teams not to talk directly with either player without permission. A few teams have gotten the green light to chat with Miller, but nobody’s been approved to talk with Pettersson yet.
Both players are locked up long-term – Pettersson through 2032 at $11.6 million per year, and Miller through 2030 at a bargain $8 million annually.
With the March 7 trade deadline approaching, Miller’s name will be one to watch. But it looks like Vancouver’s planning to keep their young core of Pettersson and Hughes together while possibly moving on from Miller to shake things up.
