Details have emerged about the canceled trade that nearly sent Vancouver Canucks forward JT Miller to the New York Rangers.
Rangers center Filip Chytil, defenseman Ryan Lindgren and some future assets — including a first-round pick — could have gone to Vancouver if the trade had happened, sources told The Athletic. Disagreement over the first-round pick’s protective structure reportedly proved to be a major obstacle in negotiations.
The Canucks reportedly nearly sat Miller on Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers due to the progress of trade talks, but the deal fell through and the 31-year-old ultimately dressed. He had two assists in Vancouver’s 3-2 victory.
Chytil, 25, has 10 goals and eight assists in 37 games this season, serving primarily as New York’s third-line center. He set career highs with 22 goals and 45 points in 2022-23. The 25-year-old signed for two more seasons with a cap hit of $4.438 million.
Lindgren, 26, has been a staple of New York’s top defensive pairing with Adam Fox for five seasons. Although once a defensive stalwart, his underlying numbers have exploded over the past two seasons: his defensive goals above replacement are minus-2.7 since the start of 2023-24, according to Evolving-Hockey. Lindgren is a pending unrestricted free agent with a cap hit of $4.5 million.
The Canucks are reportedly exploring the trade market for Miller and Elias Pettersson amid an apparent rift between the two star centers. Pettersson has apparently told the team he would like to stay, and Vancouver’s preference is to keep him.
Miller is signed through 2029-30 with an $8 million cap hit and a full no-move clause. His agent said Miller did not request a trade, but the Canucks reportedly allowed some teams to talk to him.
Vancouver reportedly rejected a trade offer from New York earlier in the campaign, which would have seen Miller and Mika Zibanejad swap teams.
Miller has eight goals and 23 assists in 35 games this season. He has averaged 95 points per year over the past three campaigns, peaking at 103 points in 2023-24.
The Rangers drafted Miller 15th overall in 2011 and he spent parts of six seasons in the Big Apple. He also spent parts of two campaigns with the Tampa Bay Lightning before being traded to Vancouver, where he established himself as one of the best forwards in the game.
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