Welcome to the latest edition of NHL Rumours! The day after Thanksgiving may have fans feeling super thankful, or maybe not. The latest surrounding buzz has been around the New York Rangers. Not only are they looking to shake up their roster with subtractions, but also addirions. That’s where the latest NHL Rumours lie, so let’s take a look.
NHL Rumours
Rumour: Arthur Staple from The Athletic says Chris Drury has kicked the tires on J.T. Miller
It seems like general manager Chris Drury has been a busy man. He feels that the team needs a shakeup and he has let the other 31 teams know who’s available. Veteran defenceman Jacob Trouba and winger Chris Kreider are available. Trouba being available is not a surprise, as he was in the rumour mill all summer long. It seems like the tires have picked up traction once again. That’s not all though. Drury has poked around on what player he would love to bring in and that is Canucks forward Miller.
A Reunion on Broadway
This isn’t the first time that Drury has made a claim for the forward for the Canucks. In 2022, Drury made an attempt to acquire Miller, but did not want to include young defenceman Braden Schneider in such a deal. Schneider is a steady young defenceman with tremendous upside. Adding Miller would give the Rangers a dynamic presence up front.
If a shake up is really going to happen, adding Miller certainly fits that bill. He is a physical forward that also brings a scoring touch. Also, Miller can play both the center and the wing, which is a massive boost. Miller is also an upgrade over a player such as Reilly Smith.
Miller went on to lead the Canucks in points during the 2023-24 season with 103. This season, he has 16 points. For a spark of offence, adding Miller makes sense for Drury, but it will not be easy.
The Cost
The latest NHL Rumours surrounding this trade have a hurdle to overcome. Miller is out indefinitely due to personal reasons. The Canucks front office is in full support of the player and has his back. While Drury is looking to acquire a player who is absent from the club, the financial hurdle is the next part.
Miller has an average annual value (AAV) of $8 million for the rest of the decade. As it currently stands, the Rangers have under $1 million in available space, so salary cap gymnastics will have to happen. Kreider makes $6.5 million and Trouba makes $8 million. Nothing is ever impossible, but this will be a challenge.
One other player that Staple names that could also be on the move is winger Kaapo Kakko. Kakko is young and while he has not popped off like teammate Alexis Lafreniere, he is a good depth player on a contending team. The Canucks are thin at the centre position with Miller absent. They’ll certainly look to get a good return if he is on the move. For the Rangers, all eyes are on them given the shakeup news and now this.
Main Photo: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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