The big domino on the trade board fell this week in Vancouver. The Vancouver Canucks, after months of speculation, traded J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers. It was only a matter of time before they moved either Miller or Elias Pettersson and the Canucks decided to trade the older skater of the two to end the ongoing saga.
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This trade leaves the Canucks with some options. They can still contend this season and not only make a push for the playoffs but set themselves up for a deep playoff run which was reflected in their subsequent trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins for Marcus Pettersson. Likewise, they can sell more if the season is a lost cause to either retool on the fly or start a rebuild around Quinn Hughes and a younger team.
The player to watch if the Canucks choose the latter route is Brock Boeser who is an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at the end of the season. He will get a great return at the trade deadline and teams like the Islanders will want to add him to their top six.
Why the Miller Trade Directly Impacts Boeser
The Canucks chose to trade him over Pettersson but it’s worth noting that Miller was a more valuable part of their roster. Specifically, taking him out of the lineup hurt more. Pettersson without question is the more talented skater with a higher upside and at 26, he is entering his prime. That said, he’s a unique skater who needs the right skaters to play alongside him to unlock his play.
Miller on the other hand played with more effort and showed up when the Canucks needed him. On top of that, he worked well alongside the other forwards on the Canucks, especially Boeser. Miller is a well-rounded forward and he would provide Boeser open looks on the wing, allowing the two to connect for a lot of goals.
If the Canucks traded Pettersson, they wouldn’t have been inclined to move anyone else. Moving Miller meanwhile does open up a path for them to move Boeser. the two skaters were often on the same line and if Boeser struggles in a re-aligned forward unit, the Canucks will look to trade him while his value is still high.
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