J.T. Miller Seen as Fit for Minnesota Wild Despite Reluctance to Leave New York

If GM Chris Drury thought his retool statement would spark the New York Rangers into salvaging what has been a massively disappointing season, that effort has fallen flat on its face. Since putting out said statement, the Rangers have gone 1–3, including a winless California road trip against three very beatable teams. As a result, changes are clearly coming — even if that was already expected.

J.T. Miller couldn’t hide his frustration following Friday night’s loss to the San Jose Sharks, leading many to question whether he has the stomach for a retool or step backward in New York. While reports have suggested he has no interest in waiving his no-movement clause, that hasn’t kept his name out of the rumor mill — including surfacing as a potential trade target for the Minnesota Wild.

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Team reporters Michael Russo and Joe Smith recently compiled a list of forwards GM Bill Guerin could have interest in ahead of the trade deadline, and Miller was notably among them.

Russo and Smith wrote:

“Like with Trocheck, we know Guerin has a soft spot for Miller. Despite a subpar year on Broadway, the Rangers’ captain was named to the Olympic team. He has a full no-move clause, and the complication here is Drury gave up a boatload to get him from Vancouver, so it’s hard to imagine he’d just give him away even if Miller would be willing to waive.

But Miller is a Guerin type of player. Hard-nosed, surly, excellent in the faceoff circle and somebody who can score, with a career-high 37 goals and 103 points in 2023-24. The issue is he turns 33 this year and has four more years on his contract at an $8 million AAV. If Guerin would ever entertain this, he may want to sit down with Hughes and figure out exactly what went on behind the scenes in Vancouver that led to the much-publicized Miller-Elias Pettersson divorce,”

The 33-year-old Miller is in the midst of a down year offensively, having registered 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 43 games played so far. He’s in year-three of the aforementioned seven-year, $56 million extension signed with the Canucks back in 2022, which includes a full no-movement clause through the 2026-27 season.

Could J.T. Miller Change His Mind for a Team Like Minnesota?

While TSN insider Pierre LeBrun has reported that neither Miller nor Drury currently have interest in parting ways, it’s fair to wonder whether that stance could change if the losing continues.

Miller has already shown his frustration with it all and has never been one to keep his feelings bottled up. If he were to reconsider, a landing spot like Minnesota could make sense — assuming his relationship with former teammate Quinn Hughes isn’t too strained from how things ended in Vancouver.

For now, it still seems likely Miller remains in the Big Apple wearing the “C.” That said, we’ve seen how quickly circumstances can change around the NHL, and if the Rangers continue to spiral, this topic of conversation won’t be going away anytime soon.

Next: Does Artemi Panarin to the Oilers Make More Sense Than We Think?