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Rangers acquiring J.T. Miller from Canucks avoids a Bruins panic-move by Don Sweeney

The New York Rangers acquired J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks Friday night, meaning that Bruins GM Don Sweeney didn't make a panic trade.

ByScott Roche|
Jan 25, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller (9) during a stop in play against the Washington Capitals in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Jan 25, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller (9) during a stop in play against the Washington Capitals in the first period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images | Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Things have got ugly between the Vancouver Canucks and J.T. Miller. Things are so bad that the Canucks were looking to trade the talented center and one of the teams linked to him was the Boston Bruins. In the overall big picture, whenever a player like Miller becomes available, the Black and Gold are usually linked to a player like that.

As recent as a couple of days ago, Frank Seravalli of The Daily Faceoff said that the Bruins were keeping tabs on the situation with Miller and knowing GM Don Sweeney, they would be in the mix until a deal was made. Well, that deal was made and in the overall big picture, it's a move that didn't include the Bruins.

Vancouver trades J.T. Miller to New York Rangers

Friday night, the Vancouver Canucks traded Miller, who had to waive his no-trade clause to get the deal done, Erik Brännstrom and Jackson Dorington to the New York Rangers in exchange for Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini and a protected first-round draft pick that is protected. If it's in the Top 13 for 2025, it becomes unprotected in 2026.

This seems like a little bit of an underwhelming return for the Canucks but despite their spot in the standings in the Eastern Conference playoff race, the Rangers still think they have a chance to leapfrog multiple teams, including Boston, to get into the Top 8. In the overall big picture, this is a deal that Bruins fans should be happy that Sweeney avoided.

Did the Bruins have a real interest in Miller? Probably, but were they going to go as far as New York and deal for him? If they did, it would have been a huge panic move by Sweeney and the front office for a team that is not worth buying big for in 2024-25. Let's be honest, Sweeney likely would have overpaid for Miller and dealt away pieces that would not have been worth it.

This makes the Rangers better and better than some teams in front of them in the standings, Boston included. This move comes on the heels of the Philadelphia Flyers acquiring Andrei Kuzmenko from the Calgary Flames for Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee.

Now the question is, does Miller make it to Boston in time for Saturday afternoon's tilt with the Bruins at the TD Garden from Dallas on Friday night where the Canucks were playing the Stars? More than likely he does and then plays again on Wednesday night when the Black and Gold visit Madison Square Garden. Timing is everything.

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