NHL Insider Points Potential Trade Involving New York Rangers F Alexis Lafreniere to the Vancouver Canucks
As trade talks begin to heat up around the National Hockey League, one insider wonders if the Vancouver Canucks could target a former first-overall pick.
On Tuesday, Josh Yohe of The Athletic revealed that the New York Rangers offered the Vancouver Canucks a 1-for-1 trade - Mika Zibanejad for J.T. Miller, which was reportedly turned down by General Manager Patrik Allvin and the team's front office.
While the Vancouver Canucks have turned down that proposal, the two teams could still be talking trade regarding J.T. Miller, with just 58 days to go until the NHL's trade deadline.
Mika Zibanejad is a star in his own right, but has struggled this season for a New York Rangers team that sits seventh in the Metropolitan Division and is at risk of missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2021.
In 40 games this season, the Stockholm native has just eight goals and 17 assists and while there's still 42 games to go for the Rangers, he might miss out on an eighth straight season with 20+ goals, unless he picks up his play in a big way in the second half.
NHL insider wonders if Vancouver Canucks could target former 1st overall pick
In an article on The Fourth Period this week, insider David Pagnotta wondered if the Vancouver Canucks could go after 2020 first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere in a J.T. Miller trade.
It's unlikely that the New York Rangers would move on from Alexis Lafreniere, but that hasn't stopped his name from popping up in trade rumors in recent years, even in January 2023 when it was reported by Rick Dhaliwal that the Vancouver Canucks had interest in and checked in on his availability.
In 40 games this season, the Saint-Eustache, Quebec native has put up 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists), 18 penalty minutes and is a minus-11.
There's still a little under two month until the trade deadline, but it's going to be interesting to see if the New York Rangers continue to pursue J.T. Miller and if he's dealt by Patrik Allvin on Friday, March 7th.
