New York Rangers
Miller Clear Winner of Canucks Trade, Pettersson the Scapegoat
It seems obvious early that the Canucks lost this deal, but Who was the early winner of the trade the sent J.T. Miller to the Rangers?
Michael Traikos of The Hockey News wasted no time in declaring Elias Pettersson the loser in the trade that sent J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers. But is that assessment fair? A couple of games into the post-Miller era, Canucks fans are already questioning if their team moved the wrong player. Miller has four points in two games for the Rangers. Pettersson has no points in February.
However, placing the weight of the franchise solely on Pettersson’s shoulders after such a small sample size is reactionary at best and unfair at worst.
Miller Starting Strong with the Rangers, Canucks Struggling
Miller has gotten off to a scorching start with the Rangers. Meanwhile, the Canucks dropped back-to-back contests against Dallas and Detroit, with Pettersson registering just one assist. The Canucks did win 3-0 over the Colorado Avalanche, but they, too, are trying to find their footing after trading Mikko Rantanen.
Traikos points out this has led to early frustration from Vancouver fans, some of whom are already suggesting the Canucks should “request a refund” on the trade. Is that fair to say?
The Canucks Needed to Make the Trade
There was no getting around trading one of Miller or Pettersson. The Canucks chose the more “A-type” personality in Miller. To make the argument that Pettersson is responsible for the Canucks struggles seems a bit harsh.
Vancouver’s struggles go well beyond just one player. The team has struggled most of the season and they had issues when Miller was on the team and playing. Miller had 35 points in 40 games with the Canucks this season. He was productive, but the Canucks issues persisted.
Meanwhile, Pettersson’s production is under a microscope now because he’s the lone star left at forward and he doesn’t have Miller’s production to help the offense. The Canucks trade forced Pettersson to pick things up and that was always going to be harder without someone like Miller on the team. To now expect Pettersson just to flip a switch and carry a flawed roster seems unreasonable.
Did Pettersson Ask for This and Now Can’t Deliver?
Yes, Pettersson wanted this challenge, and that being said, he is open to the pressure of having to perform. He’s got to be happier with Miller gone. Still, one problem solved opens the door to other issues.
With time, along with Quinn Hughes, Pettersson can prove that he is the true face of the Canucks. Writing off the trade already isn’t just unfair—it’s creating more pressure for a player who needs to play pressure-free for the next couple of weeks.
Give Pettersson the runway to adapt, and if he doesn’t come around, it’s fair to then wonder if the Canucks made the wrong decision.
Next: Canucks Want Top-6 Scorer, Is Brock Boeser’s Done in Vancouver?
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