With the Canucks re-signing Boeser, a Miller trade feels inevitable

The Vancouver Canucks began the offseason with a big move last Friday.

The team re-signed Brock Boeser to a three-year contract worth 6.65 million dollars per season. For months, there were questions surrounding Boeser’s future with the Canucks especially since he had a 7.5 million dollar qualifying offer. Boeser’s name was brought up in trade rumours for months but he’s sticking around.

There is another Canuck that has been brought up in rumours for months and that of course is J.T. Miller.

Yup, we have to talk about him. Again. Yeah, another day, another piece of content in the Vancouver market about Miller rumours.

Unfortunately, they won’t go away. As the draft approaches, expect the Miller rumours to get even hotter.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman had this to say about Miller in the latest written version of 32 Thoughts:

“Whether it’s the Rangers or Washington or someone else, the Canucks will aim higher than Minnesota’s return for (Kevin) Fiala and should get it for J.T. Miller,” wrote Friedman. ” It’s going to be too hard to get an extension done. The Canucks could surprise us. The Tyler Myers rumours have been there forever — they’ve got a price they want paid to consider it — but a few teams have suggested they might do something we haven’t thought of yet.”

With Miller going to demand at least eight million, there is no surprise as to why extending him will be difficult.

The part where Friedman says the Canucks could surprise is interesting. Could there be a team that has not been mentioned by insiders that have interest in Miller? Is another player (like Myers as mentioned by Friedman above for example) or even the 15th going with Miller? Or do the Canucks have their eye out on a player they would like to get for Miller? Who knows.

Miller has been linked to many teams over the last few months. These include the Rangers, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Capitals.

Apparently, you can also throw in the New York Islanders. James Nichols of The Fourth Period reports that Islanders want to create space and make a splash and Miller’s name has been linked to Long Island.

Canucks President of Hockey Operations said on Friday a decision hasn’t been made on Miller.

“Nothing new, everyone thought he was gone at the deadline,” Rutherford told CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal on Friday after the Boeser announcement. “People should not get too ahead of themselves.”

Rutherford also talked about possible trades.

“We are open to discuss things, we will know more as we get closer to draft day,” said Rutherford.

There is a good chance Miller will be dealt on draft day but don’t be surprised if he isn’t.

It feels like Miller’s days as a Canuck are numbered even more now with Boeser being re-signed. As you all know, cap space, prospects and a right-handed defenceman or two could help the Canucks and Miller could fetch those.

It would be nice to keep Miller and in a perfect world, the Canucks should do it. But this world isn’t perfect and he’ll be too expensive to keep around.

Whether that is on draft day or not, the chances of Miller being a Canuck by training camp are slim. But you never know, they could find a way to re-sign him but it is more likely he’ll be wearing a different jersey next season. The question is where?