The Vancouver Canucks were reportedly close to trading J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers on Saturday, but the deal fell apart at the last moment. During Sportsnet’s “Saturday Headlines,” NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed that negotiations advanced to the point where the Canucks planned to scratch Miller ahead of their game against the Edmonton Oilers. However, with no agreement reached, Miller remained in the lineup and played a key role in Vancouver’s 3–2 victory over Edmonton, recording two assists in 20:27 of ice time.
Friedman reported that the Rangers were the intended trade partner, and talks intensified on Friday. Adding to the intrigue, several Rangers AHL forwards—Adam Sykora, Benoit-Olivier Groulx, and Jaroslav Chmelar—were surprise scratches on Saturday, fueling speculation that they were involved in the potential trade package. Insider Rick Dhaliwal later confirmed that while not all scratched players were part of the deal, the Canucks were deeply engaged in discussions involving Miller.
Miller, 30, has been productive for Vancouver this season, tallying eight goals and 31 points in 35 games. He’s in the second year of a seven-year, $56 million contract, which includes a full no-move clause. While Miller has not requested a trade, Canucks management has reportedly granted certain teams permission to communicate with him directly.
This isn’t the first time the Canucks and Rangers have explored a Miller trade. Previous discussions reportedly included Mika Zibanejad, though Vancouver was more interested in defenseman Braden Schneider.
For now, Miller remains a Canuck, with the team set to face the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. However, with trade speculation swirling, his future in Vancouver remains uncertain.
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