As the New York Rangers look to salvage their season, there are rumors that they might be interested in acquiring struggling Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller.
According to The Athletic, the Canucks and Rangers were reportedly in talks over the weekend about a potential trade. The deal could have involved sending center Filip Chytil, defenseman Ryan Lindgren, and a first-round draft pick to Vancouver in exchange for the 31-year-old Miller.
Miller spent parts of his first six NHL seasons with the Rangers, including a season in 2016-17 when he scored 56 points in 82 games. The Rangers traded him to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018, but his performance surged with the Canucks. He has recorded more than a point per game four times with Vancouver, including a career-high 103 points in 2023-24.
But the question remains: is Miller the player who can help push the Rangers back into playoff contention, or would he just elevate them into the middle of the league and prevent them from securing a higher draft pick?
Now might not be the right time for the Rangers to acquire him.
It would make sense if the Rangers were on a winning streak and had a good chance of getting back into a wild-card spot. However, there are currently four teams ahead of them in the wild-card race, and moneypuck.com gives them only a 50.8% chance of making the playoffs.
The chances of the Rangers turning things around this season aren’t strong. If acquiring Miller only helps them remain on the fringes of playoff contention, they should pass on the move, accept the struggles of this season, focus on securing a good draft pick, and look to make a more impactful trade in the offseason.
If the Canucks decide to wait until the offseason to trade Miller, the Rangers could revisit the trade then. But right now, even if it means missing out on Miller, it’s better to pass on this deal.
The Rangers’ future could benefit from adding another high-end prospect, especially after not seeing significant progress from 2019’s No. 2 pick, Kaapo Kakko. There are talented prospects expected to be at the top of the 2025 NHL draft who are much younger than Miller and could be more affordable with entry-level contracts.
Additionally, there are promising NHL players who will become unrestricted free agents (UFAs) on July 1. The Rangers could sign a top-two center without giving up any trade assets. This would allow them to make other trades to address other team needs.
The Rangers still have a strong core, including Artemi Panarin, Adam Fox, and Igor Shesterkin. Alexis Lafreniere has also shown improvement in recent seasons.
While they shouldn’t let this season affect their long-term goal of competing for a Stanley Cup, it’s important not to rush into moves out of desperation. Acquiring Miller right now isn’t the best choice. The timing for such a move makes more sense in the summer.
Miller isn’t the kind of player who can turn the Rangers’ season around in a meaningful way, which is why they should pass on this trade at this moment.
