The J.T. Miller trade rumors continue to swirl, with NHL insider Frank Seravalli shedding new light on the Vancouver Canucks forward’s potential destinations.
On Thursday, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman revealed that the New York Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes have been granted permission to talk to Miller.
While that might suggest the Rangers are still the frontrunners — and perhaps the only realistic option — for acquiring Miller after they were close to reaching an agreement on Saturday, Seravalli debunked that notion on Thursday during Prime's "NHL Coast to Coast" segment.
“There seemed to be a notion floating around that, for J.T. Miller, it still remained to be the New York Rangers or bust,” Seravalli said. “And I’m here to tell you that that’s not accurate. There are still plenty of teams involved in the mix for J.T. Miller at this point in time.”
Aligning with Friedman's report from Thursday, Seravalli mentioned the Hurricanes as a strong candidate to trade for a "skilled forward," although he stopped short of naming Miller as their main target.
"League sources indicate that the Carolina Hurricanes have been one of the most active teams across the league over the last handful of days," Seravalli said. "They're working to try and bring in, I believe, a skilled forward, and they might not necessarily just be Miller."
Meanwhile, the Rangers had an offer on the table involving Filip Chytil, a first-round pick and a prospect, according to Friedman, but a deal was never reached.
Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller (9) skates against the Buffalo Sabres.
Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The shift in Miller’s market coincides with a broader change in the Canucks’ trade strategy involving the forward. As reported by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun on Wednesday, Vancouver is now open to accepting futures-focused returns — such as draft picks and prospects — instead of insisting on immediate help for their playoff push.
“The Canucks have relented a bit on that,” LeBrun said. “They would do a futures deal when it comes to making a deal with a contender because they understand those teams don’t want to trade away from their core.”
Miller, 31, has remained a hot commodity despite his sizable seven-year, $56 million contract that runs through the 2029-30 season. The veteran forward has recorded eight goals and 23 assists in 35 games this season, continuing to showcase his versatility and ability to contribute in all situations.
