Every Thursday, Daily Faceoff’s NHL insider Frank Seravalli releases his Trade Targets list. The list is an ever-changing one that NHL insider Frank Seravalli is constantly shifting around based on conversations he’s had with folks around the league behind the scenes.
Last week, Nils Höglander joined Conor Garland, Luke Schenn, and Brock Boeser on the list to become the fourth Vancouver Canuck featured on the list.
And with just eight days to go until the trade deadline, there’s a new Canuck on the list: JT Miller.
Here’s what Seravalli had to say about Miller:
Scoop: If you’re shocked to see Miller’s name on the list before his extension kicks in, consider the following: 1) The Canucks are open to just about anything at this point in time outside of Elias Pettersson and maybe Quinn Hughes; 2) Miller may have real value this summer as teams begin to realize there are so few impact players scheduled to hit free agency; 3) His ‘no-trade’ clause kicks in on July 1 and if you’re going to do it, you might as well do it before the player gains more control. It still seems like a longshot that Miller is moved before this deadline, but enough teams have talked about him internally that it is impossible to ignore the possibility.
Miller came in at number 16th on the list, higher than both Garland and Höglander, who came in at numbers 38 and 40 out of 50, respectively.
Here’s what Seravalli said about Höglander:
Scoop: No surprise, but teams say the Canucks have been rather cavalier in their interest in shaking things up – to the point where they’ve essentially said: “Tell us who you’re interested in.” There has been interest in Hoglander before and teams are very intrigued about him now. Down in AHL Abbotsford, the 22-year-old has posted 17 points in 24 games. Given that Vancouver is on the prowl for NHL-ready players who are age 25 and under, it would seem like a longshot that they decide to move on from Hoglander at this exact juncture in time. But the possibility cannot be ruled out, as they’re going to be considering lots of different proposals as they field interest in their players.
On Garland:
Scoop: For all of the hemming and hawing about the money the Canucks have spent on wingers, Garland quietly lived up to his end of the bargain last season with 19 goals and 52 points. He burst onto the scene under Rick Tocchet in Arizona, the guy who gave him his shot. His ice time is virtually unchanged under Tocchet. Nonetheless, the fact remains the Canucks committed $10 million more to wingers for next season in Anthony Beauvillier and Andrei Kuzmenko. And Garland has never fit quite right in Vancouver, signed by the previous regime. He is a prime candidate to try and create salary cap flexibility for the Canucks, but the term may be a sticking point.
Meanwhile, Brock Boeser and Luke Schenn came in at 13 and 11, respectively. Here’s what he said on Boeser:
Scoop: Word is beginning to circulate that the Canucks are willing to entertain a deal for Boeser that includes Vancouver retaining some salary. It likely would not be a significant amount, but the Canucks are ready to move on. Their push to finally, once and for all, create some salary cap flexibility is real. We know that Boeser is looking for a change of scenery, too. He’s already been given the ability to seek a trade through his agent. Boeser hasn’t scored at his typical rate this season, but he’s still at 0.73 points per game (61-point pace), and he does have value as a scoring winger. The concern for teams is the term.
And on Schenn, who remains at home packing up his family preparing for a move:
Scoop: Guess who has matched the point production of John Klingberg this season? That would be Schenn, who is also being held out of the lineup for “trade-related reasons.” When the Canucks made the decision on Tuesday, there was nothing imminent, but had received enough interest to know that he is likely to move. Schenn is a proven winner with Stanley Cup pedigree on an expiring, inexpensive deal. Winnipeg, Calgary, Minnesota and Boston are just a few of the teams Schenn has been linked to, but others have also expressed interest. They say you can never have too many defensemen on a playoff run and Schenn is a fit for just about every team, particularly as a right-shot who can also play the left if needed.
