With rumors surrounding the Vancouver Canucks and possible trades that might see names like Brock Boeser, Conor Garland, and J.T. Miller potentially head out the door ahead of Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline, there are reports coming out of Vancouver that the team has already turned down a significant offer to move on from Miller’s contract, one the team recently signed him to this past season.
Reports note that the Pittsburgh Penguins have had extensive conversations with the Canucks over the past couple of weeks and talks regarding Miller picked up in recent days. In fact, the Penguins weren’t the only team to kick tires on Miller’s availability. Daily Faceoff hockey insider Frank Seravalli said Miller’s name “surfaced in trade talks” involving the Canucks and other teams.
Darren Dreger provided an update on TSN 1050 in Toronto on Friday morning. Dreger said that this is a tricky situation for the Canucks who don’t want to send the wrong message to potential UFAs thinking about signing with the Canucks down the road. Miller hasn’t even started his new contract and the Canucks were going to need a big return if they were going to move him. Draft picks weren’t enough and the Canucks turned down a big offer from Ron Hextall.
“The Penguins, through desperation, [Hextall] had lines in the water everywhere. Including taking a hard run at J.T. Miller, a hard run,” Dreger said. “Vancouver said we like the offer, we just can’t take it because it was draft picks…”
What Are the Canucks Actually Doing?
Because the Canucks are not rebuilding, if they’re going to move Miller, they need to get something of value that can help right away. “We’re not rebuilding in Vancouver a J.T. Miller is a big part of our future,” is what the Canucks have been telling teams who can’t quite figure out what the Canucks are actually doing. Are they rebuilding? Are they trying to retool?
Miller has collected 20 goals and 54 points in 60 games this season. He’s about to begin a new contract that runs until the end of the 2029–30 season at an $8 million cap hit. It includes trade protection, which will make him much more difficult to move if the Canucks change their mind on the forward.
Next: Devils Add Curtis Lazar from the Canucks
