It's no secret at this point that the Vancouver Canucks are listening to trade offers on J.T. Miller. There is a reported rift between Miller and fellow Canucks star Elias Pettersson, and it seems as if a boiling point has been reached. On Saturday, reports emerged that Miller was nearly traded to the New York Rangers. However, he played for Vancouver against the Edmonton Oilers.
The Canucks went on to win on Saturday night by the score of 3-2. Miller played a major role in this victory, as well. He recorded two assists in the win and overall was a threat in the offensive zone. After the game, the veteran center was asked about the pregame reports. However, Miller wasn't having it.
“I'm not getting into this,” the Canucks star said, via NHL.com. “I'm planning on being a Canuck today, tomorrow. Whatever happens, happens. I'm focused on the next game… “I don't know if there's anything. It's just [trying] to focus on the game. It's probably good you're playing the Oilers tonight, and have a matchup assignment, try to keep me focused.”
Canucks, Rangers still reportedly talking J.T. Miller trade

J.T. Miller did not go to the Rangers through trade on Saturday night. However, New York is not giving up. The Rangers and Canucks are reportedly still engaged in trade discussions after their deal fell through over the weekend. This is not a surprise, as New York is a logical landing spot for Miller.
The Rangers tried to offload Mika Zibanejad on the Canucks in an earlier proposal. But Vancouver shot that one down. More recent reports indicate the Canucks are interested in forward Alexis Lafreniere in any deal involving Miller.
There is certainly some logic to Vancouver's interest in Lafreniere. The Blueshirts forward has received some criticism for underperformance since going to New York as the first overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. Over the last two seasons, though, he has provided some hope he could eventually become a high-level impact player.
The Canucks could be in need of a top-six winger soon, as well. Brock Boeser is having a down season after scoring a career-high 40 goals in 2023-24. However, he remains an effective offensive producer. He is on pace for 29 goals and 56 points in 2024-25. Boeser is also an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
If the Canucks fail to re-sign Boeser, having Lafreniere as a long-term replacement would be smart. Whether a trade between Vancouver and the Rangers comes to pass remains to be seen, of course. However, fans should continue monitoring the situation as things develop over the next few weeks.