NHL Rumors: Rangers interested in reunion with J.T. Miller, and Claude Giroux likely to be traded
Anthony Scultore
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The Vancouver Canucks went on a tear after hiring Bruce Boudreau as their new head coach. Of course, that’s now a memory as the team has lost three of four on their current five game road trip.
Vancouver has 37 points on the season and are 7 points out of the final Wild Card spot. Teams continue to call about possible trades and the Canucks are willing to discuss some players but are looking to see where they stand after their current road trip, which ends today in Nashville.
NHL Rumors: Rangers looking for a reunion with J.T. Miller
One player in particular is drawing a ton of interest from contenders.
Miller, 28, has one more year left on his deal worth $5.25M before becoming a UFA. He’s also been extremely productive with 38 points in 38 games for Vancouver this season.
“[Miller] is not a pending UFA where [Vancouver] is saying ‘we have to cut bait or else’,” Seravalli said on Canucks Central. “You could kick the can down the road to next year but you’re probably going to get the best return for him now or the summer.”
Recently, Jim Rutherford addressed the media to explain what the organization’s approach will be regarding trades.
“I don’t believe it has to be a rebuild. But certainly the team has to be transitioned into a stronger team to be a regular playoff team,” Rutherford said via The Province.
“How we’ll look at this in the future is we won’t trade high picks. Anytime we’re making a deal it’s for younger players and we’ll try to bring this team, really make it stronger over the next couple of years, to where it can start to be a regular playoff team.”
Based off of those comments, Seravalli deduced that the Rangers may have what it takes to get something done.
“One of the teams that has really been all over J.T. Miller to bring him back is the New York Rangers,” Servalli noted. “Are there younger pieces on the Rangers’ roster that they’d be willing to part with rather than just draft picks? And how important would it be for them to be in a spot where they have that extra year of J.T. Miller and not have to sweat (what his next contract) looks like.”
Claude Giroux likely to move on
Claude Giroux is heading towards UFA status this summer. The Flyers are headed to the bottom of the standings as they continue to struggle.
Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher held a press conference in December looking to see if the team could turn things around. Things have only gotten worse and this has many believing change is coming soon and at some point it will include Giroux.
Giroux, 33, is coming off a season where he scored 43 points in 54 games. This is the final year of a contract that comes with a $8.275M cap hit. He has 29 points in 35 games so far.
If he officially hits the market, he will be a top rental for a contender at the trade deadline.
“I would bet that Giroux gets traded,” Friedman said. “I just think they have to figure out between him and them where it’s gonna go. I could see a situation where they say to him, ‘OK, why don’t you go chase a Cup this year and we’ll figure it out all out.'”
Sportsnet
