Canucks Trade J.T. Miller To The Rangers
The Vancouver Canucks have traded center J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers.
The deal sends Miller, defenseman Erik Brannstrom, and prospect blueliner Jackson Dorrington to the Rangers in exchange for center Filip Chytil, defenseman Victor Mancini, and the Rangers 2025 first-round draft pick, which is top-13 protected.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The expectation was the Rangers or bust for Miller. The 31-year-old center returns to the team where his NHL career began 13 seasons ago.
The Vancouver Canucks trade center J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers. (NHL Images)
It’s not much of a return for a player of Miller’s caliber, suggesting the Canucks had few suitable alternatives. Canucks general manager Jim Rutherford admitted this week that the rift between Miller and teammate Elias Pettersson was hurting the club’s performance. He couldn’t let this fester any longer and risk derailing the remainder of the season.
The Canucks won’t be retaining any of Miller’s $8 million average annual value. His contract runs through 2029-30. That could hurt the Rangers during the final couple of seasons of Miller’s contract when his skills inevitably deteriorate. However, with the cap projected to rise substantially over the next three seasons, they’re unlikely to be too troubled if he improves their roster over the next three years.
It’ll be interesting to see where Miller fits in with the Rangers. He could skate on the first or second line, meaning Vincent Trocheck or the struggling Mika Zibanejad would drop to the third line.
Brannstrom is now moving to his third team this season. Released by the Ottawa Senators last summer, he signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche and was traded to the Canucks before the start of the regular season. He spent 28 games in Vancouver before being demoted to their AHL affiliate in Abbotsford. Brannstrom will likely report to the Rangers’ AHL affiliate in Hartford.
Dorrington was a sixth-round selection (176th overall) by the Canucks in the 2022 NHL Draft. He’s in his third season with Northeastern University. You can read his draft guide info on Elite Prospects.
Chytil was originally part of a failed deal between both clubs two weeks ago. He’s a solid two-way center who skates well and has strong playmaking skills, but he’s also been hampered by injuries, including four concussions, the last of which sidelined him for 72 regular-season games and six playoff contests in 2023-24.
With Miller’s departure, Chytil could fill the Canucks’ second-line center role. He’s signed through 2026-27 with an AAV of $4.437 million. He’s more affordable than Miller but lacks the latter’s skill level. With the freed-up cap space, perhaps the Canucks will attempt to use that savings to add to their roster before the March 7 trade deadline.
Mancini, 22, is a 6’3”, 229-pound right-shot defenseman who spent 15 games with the Rangers earlier this season. Chosen in the fifth round (159th overall) in the same draft as Dorrington, he’s a big defensive blueliner who could be employed in a regular shutdown role on the Canucks’ bottom pairing.
‘nucks didn’t get much of anything useful for this year, yet lose a top forward.
Perhaps. Perhaps they lost a locker room cancer.
I didn’t think that Vancouver would get much for Miller – long expensive contract, underperforminhg, problem in the locker room, had to approve any trade. I’m sure this was about as good a return as could be expected.
This was way better for Rangers than deal reported previously.
The only win for Vancouver was that they didn t retain any money on Millers contract!
I liked their trade with Pittsburgh much better! Got Peterson for spare parts!
Sr
No doubt the nuks had it all pre arranged before pulling trigger on nyr deal Nuks d I’d better now. Cancer in room is gone Will see how it goes Nyr looks better on paper today but how long b4 miller contract goes bad
Didn’t take Miller long to make his presence felt in NY!