NHL Rumor Mill – January 4, 2025
Are the Canucks planning to trade Elias Pettersson or J.T. Miller? Could the Rangers, Islanders or Blackhawks get involved? What’s the latest on former Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
THE LATEST PETTERSSON AND MILLER TRADE SPECULATION
SPORTSNET: During Friday’s “32 Thoughts: The Podcast” episode, Elliotte Friedman mused over the trade rumors swirling around Vancouver Canucks centers Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller.
Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller (NHL Images)
Friedman pointed out Vancouver general manager Patrik Allvin didn’t rule out trading Pettersson during a year-end interview with Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre. He wondered if the Canucks are serious about moving the 26-year-old center. He thinks they’ve spoken with other teams about Pettersson and Miller but believes they prefer to keep both players.
Noting the Miller speculation, Friedman believes he’s a player the Chicago Blackhawks should pursue. He also thinks the New York Rangers are interested in bringing back Miller but doesn’t think that will be easy to pull off.
CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal said the Canucks have spoken with the New York Rangers during his Friday appearance on Sportsnet’s 650’s Halford and Brough Show. He claimed the two sides spoke about “a lot of things, not just Miller.” Dhaliwal said the Canucks have been interested in Rangers winger Alexis Lafreniere and defenseman Braden Schneider for some time.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Miller has a full no-movement clause. The 31-year-old center might not waive it to join a rebuilding team. He also doesn’t make sense for Chicago given his age. Miller will be past his prime by the time the Blackhawks are contenders.
Miller began his NHL career with the Rangers. He’d provide a short-term boost to the Blueshirts, especially if they were in Stanley Cup contention. However, their stunning collapse this season indicates they need more than quick fixes.
Over the long haul, Miller’s value to the Rangers would decline. They already carry aging, expensive assets like 33-year-old forwards Chris Kreider, Artemi Panarin and 31-year-old Mika Zibanejad. Adding another makes no sense for them right now.
THE HOCKEY NEWS: Stefen Rosner wondered if there was a way for the Islanders to acquire Pettersson and reunite him with former Canucks captain Bo Horvat. He cited industry sources claiming Isles defenseman Noah Dobson is high on the Canucks list. They would also be interested in Islanders center Brock Nelson if the pending free agent would sign a contract extension.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Canucks and Islanders have done business before, swinging a multi-player trade two years ago that sent Horvat to Long Island.
Rosner believes the deal’s framework would be Dobson, prospect Danny Nelson, and a first-round pick. The Islanders must also take on Pettersson’s $11.6 million cap hit.
Pettersson’s no-movement clause begins on July 1. A trade to the Isles would have to happen before then to ensure he doesn’t block it. That’s assuming the Canucks are ready to give up on him, which doesn’t seem likely. Allvin didn’t rule out trading Pettersson but he still believes he can become a dominant center for the Canucks.
THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston replied to several readers’ questions about the recent rumors regarding Pettersson and Miller. He considers it unlikely that they’ll move either player.
Johnson believes Miller would interest the Rangers but doubts they’ll part with young players like Lafreniere and Schneider to get him.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: That seems the most sensible take thus far. Anything can happen and we can’t dismiss the possibility of a trade. However, the Canucks would need to get significant value for Miller (provided he’s willing to waive his NMC) or Pettersson.
The biggest issue facing the Canucks isn’t Miller and Pettersson supposedly clashing, it’s their lack of blueline depth which became even shallower with Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek sidelined by injuries.
UPDATE ON JONATHAN TOEWS
DAILY FACEOFF: Frank Servalli claims there is no shortage of interest in Jonathan Toews after the former Chicago Blackhawks captain indicated he could stage a comeback. The 36-year-old center last played in 2022-23, when his career was derailed by health issues.
Seravalli believes the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, and Colorado Avalanche are three teams to watch if Toews makes a comeback bid.
TORONTO STAR: Kevin McGran cites a source saying it’s “too premature” to speculate on Toews, adding that his camp is “far from exploring deals” with teams.
As a Rangers fan and fan of Laf…. swapping him for EP40 might help both sides. The Rangers with Mika’s fall off a cliff are weak down the middle now and Chytil is always one hit away from never playing again. Trocheck is a good 2nd line center but they need more
Trading Laf for EP40 would be an interesting trade. I agree.
So much going on in Canuckland at the moment. I would trade both EP and JT to the highest bidders and immediately resign Kevin Lankinen. Lank has been their MvP so far and nothing against Demko but nobody knows what his health situation is going to look like going forward. I know they’re just rumours for both centres but there’s some really interesting names being tossed around. ds, would the Rangers even consider moving Laf or Schneider? They seem to be the young building blocks of the team to me. Busy schedule on the ice today, enjoy the games everyone and Go Jets!
@ducky
I am sure the rangers prefer to build around Laf but acquiring a potentia numbe 1 center is not an easy find but moving on from kakko AND laf is a bad look for the front office
schneider plus another good asset for ep40 at minimum. mancini looks like an nhl player so schneider could be moved imho
How does Allvin sign Peterson to an 11.6 mill deal just to turn around a 9 months later and say he needs maturing to be the dominant centre he can be? Was that not part of the negotiations? If you could swap him for Laf I’d take that deal immediately.
Re; the Canucks…
One of these two needs to get traded
Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller
this has been going on for a year now,⁉️
you can see they are not a happy team
the Canucks do need a Centre coming back and they need a top 4 d/man
Trade
if thinks dont change the could be missing the playoffs….
Canucks may have to put in T.J. Millar a 1st round pick and good RD prospect and to get
Bowen Byram and Dylan Cozens to Vancouver
Or…
its 2 for 1 deal
for Elias Pettersson, for
Bowen Byram Dylan Cozens
Miller and Forbort for Kreider and K. Miller
I’m thinking that Toews would be a great replacement for Pavelski to play on that top line with Roope and Robo…. its pretty obvious what Pav’s experience meant to that line…so far none of the young guns have clicked too well on that line.
I can see Toews signing a one year deal with the Wings to play with his former line mates Kane and Debrincat to get his career back on track.
I don’t know – he’s been away from the game for quite a while, and wasn’t very good the last season he played. What are the odds that he can become even 1/2 the player he used to be ?
Especially as he turns 37 in April.
Iago
Agree he’s been out a while
Absolutely no challenge there
That said , his last year (note while struggling with the effects of Long Covid) was on pace for 23-25-48 (for 8302 games) and doing that while playing on a team that was bottoming out
He’s great on the dot
He’ll sign a 1 year for the balance of this year and it won’t be for much
He wants to prove he can still play and is motivated
I could see League min with $300 K signing bonus (annual cap hit of just shy of $1.1 M; so atTDL with only 22-26 games remaining a team only needs about$330 K in space for that contract
With those parameters and even at lowest expectations for Toews ( Which will be much better than the depth forwards already on teams); I can see all playoff bound teams interested in him
If he decides to return; HE will decide where he is going
It won’t be back to BlackHawks (only NHL team he has played for) and will most assuredly be for a contender.
Why not his hometown Jets?
Of course they are doing fine already; but Toews in/ dropping lowest forward , can only better the team
If he does prove himself (and I believe if healthy he will) then he’ll have loads of interest come July 1st
Would I love Toews on Pens? Absolutely. It won’t happen unless Crosby can somehow have a miraculously convincing chat with him
My guess
One of
Oilers, Jets, Stars, Avs,
Outside chance: Knights or Panthers
(for 8302 games)…. should be “for 82 games”
Fat fingers on the old iPhone, 8787?
Biggest shortage of players in the NHL! A top 6 center and a top 4 RHD!Even the most talented teams in the league are looking for these players!If you have any players that meet that description let me know!
8787, I agree with the list of teams you mentioned as logical spots for him, and only time will tell how much of his old form he can regain.
@8787
A big point against the Stanley Cup champs in Florida.
Pickering our 20 year d man continues to plY well Paterson is back too
That game showed we can hang with the elite teams.
It is becoming obvious Malkin is a winger now..he has that shot thats where he belong…
If Dubas gets a good return for Petersson say Hoglander and Desharnais..that works..
Thoughts on this hypothetical
To chicago
Tristan Jarry Ryan Graves and a 2nd round pick
To Pittsburgh
Seth Jones
Jarry is still better than Chicago’s tandem of Miraznek or Soderbloom and thrives on shots
Graves younger playing a tad better. And a 2nd as a swetner.
Both teams unload contracts..
Seth eats minutes, his contracts he is still younger than Letang when his contract ends in 6 years.
Money is even cap goes up alot the next bunch of years.
Seth jones. Erik karlsson kris letang. Owen pickering 19 year old harrison brunicke coming next yeat
I like Jones but in no way can Pens afford 2 1/2 more years of $26 M to pay just for Rightie Ds; all of which are North of 30
Right now we absolutely need a 3rd pairing RD. That will help for sure. Almost (not all but almost) any NHL RHD would do
Nieto and Hayes MUST sit
This line up (Note: that only requires 1 external move) when healthy would get us into playoffs
Crosby Rackell Rust
Malkin Bunting Tomasino
Glass Beuvillier Puuljarvi
Lizotte Katchouk Poulin
Depth Fwds: Bemstrom/Koivenen/Pomeronov
Letang P-O J
Karllsson Pettersson
*Deharnais Pickering
Depth D : LD : Graves; RD: Hollowell (up from WBS)
Jarry/Blomquist
*Literally the only external move required