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NHL Trade Talk Recap: Canucks, Ducks, Maple Leafs, Oilers
NHL Trade Talk Recap Jan. 5: Who will trade for Miller, will Skinner leave the Oilers, how bad is McCabe’s injury, and Vatrano signs odd deal.
In another NHL Trade Talk Recap (Jan. 5), the Vancouver Canucks are seriously taking offers on Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller. Who might take a run at Miller, and can the Canucks avoid making a costly mistake if they trade one of these two stars? Meanwhile, the Edmonton Oilers are getting a good response from Jeff Skinner, who won’t go down without a fight after being made a healthy scratch. Jake McCabe was injured in a fight on Sunday night, and Frank Vatrano re-signed with the Anaheim Ducks in an interesting deal that saw a chunk of his salary deferred.
Here is a recap of the biggest stories in a busy day of NHL news.

Top NHL Trade Talk Recap Story:
Who Takes a Run at J.T. Miller?
Following up on Saturday’s report by Elliotte Friedman that the Canucks are open to three options for Miller and Pettersson trades, we took a look at four teams who might be open to making a run at Miller. Is this a trade that happens this season? Is Miller open to certain teams, given his full no-move clause? What would it take to pry him out of Vancouver?
We also looked at what went wrong last season when the Canucks started selling pieces. Can they avoid a similar mistake if they make more moves this year?
Read More About Who Might Target Miller Here
Will Jeff Skinner Make It Hard for Oilers to Trade Him?
Whether because he becomes a valuable piece who scores in limited minutes or because he’s got a full no-move clause and can control his fate, we took a look at how little Jeff Skinner will want to leave the Oilers this season. Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal wrote, “…I do not expect a proud vet without a single playoff game to surrender his spot in the lineup of this team without a firm push.”
What happens if it’s time to move on and Skinner never gets an elevated opportunity? Will he stay a happy solider? Is there a chance he’s traded?
Meanwhile, the Oilers picked up a big win over the Seattle Kraken and Vasily Podkolzin had a huge game. Leon Draisaitl also stretched his point streak.
How Badly Is Jake McCabe Injured?
During a fight on Sunday night, Jake McCabe left the game and didn’t return for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Garnet Hathaway dropped the gloves with a willing McCabe, but the Maple Leafs defenseman appeared to hit his head on the ice. He was able to skate off the ice after first struggling to get up. The fear is a concussion, and the hope is that McCabe won’t miss much time.
The defenseman already has a history of head injuries, so the best scenario here is that it wasn’t anything significant. It didn’t look good. All Craig Berube would say is that it was an “upper-body” injury and that he didn’t like seeing that happen.
Read the Rest of the Recap and the Latest on McCabe Here
Frank Vatrano Signs a Deferred Contract Extension with the Ducks
On the same day he announced an extension with the Ducks, Frank Vatrano scored twice, leading Anaheim past the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1. The deal he signed included deferred salary, which has caused a bit of a debate online thanks to the perceived value of money and how much he might be leaving on the table.
Vatrano said after the deal, “All I wanted (for) a long time was to be a Duck. Didn’t matter what money I was making or anything. I wanted to play here, I didn’t want to play anywhere else. I’m just happy to help these young guys grow and be a part of it.” The Ducks will benefit from deferred payments by having a $4.57M AAV on the salary cap instead of a $6M AAV.
More NHL Trade Talk Recap Jan. 5 Recent Posts
- Maple Leafs Have Jake McCabe Injury Update After Fight Incident
- 4 Teams Best Positioned to Take a Run at a J.T. Miller Trade
- Caufield Weighs In on the Canadiens’ Recent Momentum
- Can Canucks Avoid Last Season’s Pricey Trade Deadline Mistake?
- Details of Deferred Extension Between Frank Vatrano and Ducks
- Can the Predators Recreate Last Season’s Magic?
- Veteran Oiler Won’t Leave Team Without “Firm Push” [Report]
- WJHC Final: USA Looks To Win Back-To-Back vs Finland
- The Good, Bad & Ugly in the Maple Leafs’ 6-4 Win Over Boston
- NHL Trade Talk Morning Roundup: Knies Hat Trick, Ovechkin Stays Hot
- Marner Extension Will Bring “Renaissance in Popularity”, Says Host
- Podkolzin, Skinner Key as Oilers Earn 4-2 Win Over Kraken
Related: NHL Trade Talk Recap: Canucks, Oilers, Maple Leafs, Blackhawks
