On Friday’s emergency episode of Canucks Conversation, David Quadrelli and Jeff Paterson were joined by Daily Faceoff’s NHL insider Frank Seravalli to react to the blockbuster trade that sent J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers.
The Vancouver Canucks dealt Miller, along with defencemen Erik Brännström and the rights to Jackson Dorrington, in exchange for centre Filip Chytil, defenceman Victor Mancini, and a top-13 protected first-round pick in 2025.
Seravalli emphasized that this trade was something Vancouver had to do, regardless of their recent three-game winning streak.
“They had to rip the bandaid off,” said Seravalli. “Three-game winning streak or not, it was time. The biggest win in this deal for the Canucks is getting off of J.T. Miller’s contract.”
He noted that the deal closely resembled one that had been on the table two weeks ago, which reportedly fell apart due to issues on the Rangers’ end.
“This deal, in principle, isn’t hugely different than the one that was on the table two weeks ago when it fell apart. Essentially, the Canucks had to add slightly with Erik Brännström and Jackson Dorrington to get this over the finish line. I was told the deal coming back then was Filip Chytil, a similarly protected first and a prospect — in this case, Mancini fits that bill. Since the Canucks weren’t willing to retain salary, that’s been the holdup the last few weeks. The Rangers had to find a way to come back and have Vancouver sweeten it in order to get the deal done.”
The key player coming back in the deal is Filip Chytil, but Seravalli cautioned that expectations should be tempered regarding what he can bring to the lineup.
“He’s closer to a third-line center than a second-line centre,” said Seravalli. “The injury history he has is hugely concerning to me, the cost certainty is nice with the cap going up, but this is a player the Canucks have long been a believer in. They’ve had interest in Filip Chytil going back multiple years, and to be able to get him as a centrepiece of the deal, they’re clearly happy about that and feel he’s someone that can be a problem-solver for them.”
However, he stressed that the biggest factor in this trade’s success isn’t Chytil — it’s how this move impacts Elias Pettersson.
“The biggest lynchpin to this entire deal is not anything the Canucks are getting back — it’s Elias Pettersson, full stop. Can removing Miller from this equation allow Pettersson to get back to being the north-of-a-point-per-game, play-driving center this team needs him to be and is paying him to be? Make no mistake, he’s on the clock. He’s got the rest of this season to figure it out, because if not, I have zero doubt the Canucks will pull the trigger before the no-trade clause kicks in on July 1. They won’t be able to afford to find out the hard way and lose leverage.”
With speculation swirling for weeks, Seravalli explained why the Canucks finally pulled the trigger now rather than waiting closer to the deadline.
“This was obviously a poorly kept secret, and the longer it dragged on, J.T. Miller put his hands up and said, ‘Let’s rip off the bandaid,’” said Frank. “He was ready to go, and the Canucks were ready for him to move. According to multiple sources, a lot of guys in that locker room aren’t entirely sold that Pettersson will be there for the long haul either, so it’s about figuring that part out next. It’s an increased runway, but it’s also about getting this season back on track.”
With Miller gone and the Canucks clearing up some cap flexibility, Seravalli believes the front office isn’t finished shaping this roster.
“I don’t know that we’re going to see these conditions even play out, whether it’s still in Vancouver’s arsenal or not,” Frank asserted. “I think they fully intend to take the increased cap flexibility they have now and package that with the draft pick they have to find a way to improve the team right here and now. Whether that’s going out to finally get that top-four, puck-moving defenseman, try to better supplant this team down the middle, or using the Brock Boeser trade chip, whatever it might be, I don’t expect the Canucks roster you see tonight after this trade to be the same one you see on the other side of the deadline.”
With the J.T. Miller era officially over in Vancouver, all eyes now turn to what’s next — both in terms of roster moves and how Pettersson responds to the pressure of being the team’s unquestioned top centre.
You can watch the full segment below:
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