Canucks off-season: Aftershocks of giant J.T. Miller trade earthquake still felt at centre ice

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“We knew it would set us back. You don’t replace J.T. Miller.”

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That’s how Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford summarized one of the club’s pressing problems Monday as it seeks a solution to fill a giant void at centre and return to the NHL playoffs next season.

“There may be better players than him in the league in some areas and there are about five guys who can play the game like him,” Rutherford added of Miller, who hit a career-high 103 points here in 2023-24. “That’s a tough guy to let go.”

For now, the plan to address the trade exit is continued belief in the struggling Elias Pettersson getting his game and commitment to a dominant place. That’s admirable. But Pettersson thrived behind Miller, who relished tough matchups and is wired to be a pain to play against.

With Pettersson, Filip Chytil and possibly Pius Suter, if he’s re-signed, the support pieces could be in place behind a true No. 1 centre. It’s not a knock on Pettersson. However, his dramatic fall to 45 points in 64 games this season on a monster US$11.6 million salary cap hit is more than injury-related.

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The pressure to produce and reward franchise faith is enormous. Pettersson, 26, said he welcomes it and he has the skill. You don’t become a Calder Trophy winner and put up consecutive 102- and 89-point seasons without an offensive arsenal. But something is missing from the mix.

Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet, who could reach a contract extension this week, said Pettersson needs to practise better because you play like you practise. And if that’s waning in your top centre, the trickle-down effect isn’t great on the ice or in the room.

“This isn’t something he is going to be able to snap his fingers and change,” Rutherford said of Pettersson. “Injuries or whatever reasons, Petey wasn’t prepared properly for the start to camp and the season and that became one of the issues that started to get things flaring up.

“He’s a guy who is always going to be able to get his points. But can you be a contending team with your top player just getting points? The answer is no. He has to buy-in to be a complete player and he has been working out here for the last few days. He has to do it all summer.”

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Pettersson’s no-movement clause in his eight-year, US$92.8 million extension kicks in July 1. The Canucks pondered where they were headed with the skilled Swede before coming to terms a year ago. A trade was a possibility, but travelling that route now is more complex.

The Canucks would probably have to part with a first-round pick, at least one prime prospect and eat some of Pettersson’s salary to seek a top-flight centre. Doubt ownership has an appetite for that. Pending unrestricted free-agent pivots are also too old or would command too much money to make the move here.

“I definitely want to keep all my options open, but in saying that, we still believe in him,” Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said of Pettersson. “Elias had one down year which was this year and it’s about maturity and taking his game to the next level. He’s more than capable of being a first-line centre.

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“But I would be stupid not to keep my options open. Pettersson and Chytil are good enough to become good players. But when you move away from J.T. — probably one of the better shutdown forwards in the league and hard to play against — you don’t replace him.”

Rutherford summed up what he would have to part with in a centre search like this: “Tough decisions. It will be expensive, but also very expensive not to get one.”

When the circus came to town

The circus that surrounded the Miller trade to the New York Rangers on Jan. 31 has had a lasting effect.

It not only caused a disconnected mess in the room — bigger than just the great divide between Miller and Pettersson — the aftershocks affected team chemistry and left a substantial roster hole. It also led to Miller requesting a personal leave of absence Nov. 19 that lasted 10 games.

He eventually waived his no-movement clause because of the constant clamour.

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“There was lots to it,” Rutherford said of the clash. “I don’t believe it was down to just two people. It filtered through most of the team. In a lot of ways, J.T. tried hard to help fix the situation and a lot of people in the organization worked on it and we hoped it would get back to where it was a year ago.

“We made a trade we didn’t expect to make or wanted to make and went from a contending team to one in transition. There is work to be done with the forwards to get back to where we should be.”

Rutherford said the priority is to add three forwards — a centre and perhaps two wingers if unrestricted free agent Brock Boeser doesn’t reach contract extension terms — but it’s going to come at a price.

“The biggest thing for us is to strengthen centre ice,” said Rutherford. “You can then do a lot of things with your wingers.”

To wing it without Boeser, who hit the 40-goal plateau last season and has the potential to be a consistent 30-goal producer, may mean testing free-agents waters.

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Nikolaj Ehlers, 29, of the Winnipeg Jets is on an expiring US$6 million deal. Ryan Donato, 29, of the Chicago Blackhawks had a career-high 31 goals and will get a big boost from his US$2 million cap hit. And Jack Roslovic, 28, of the Carolina Hurricanes has an expiring US$2.8 million hit.

A Hughes reunion in Vancouver?

The Canucks know what they have in consummate captain Quinn Hughes.

The Norris Trophy winner played through considerable pain this season and still led by example on and off the ice by taking his dominant game to another level. They also know it would be a franchise gut-punch to eventually lose the dynamo to free-agency.

It’s why this off-season is vital for the hockey operations department. It must not only address roster shortcomings, it’s also imperative that acquisitions make the right impression on Hughes. The Canucks can’t risk their most important player heading into the final season of his extension in 2026-27 without a good feel about the potential to win.

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“The one thing that we will be sure of is that we will have enough cap space to offer him the kind of contract that he deserves and that’s the one thing we can prepare for,” stressed Rutherford. “And it may not boil down to money with him.

“He said before that he wants to play with his brothers (Jack and Luke of the New Jersey Devils) and that would be partly out of our control. In our control would be if we brought the brothers here. There are many moving parts and the franchise cannot afford to lose a guy like Quinn Hughes.

“We’ll do everything we can to keep him here, but it will be his decision.”

Willander returning to Boston University

The ‘Tom Willander Watch’ lasted weeks because it appeared that the 11th overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft was going to sign an entry-level pro contract when his NCAA season ended. He would make his NHL debut at Rogers Arena, but now an avenue to gain playoff experience with the AHL affiliate in Abbotsford is to sign an amateur tryout deal.

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Not so fast. Willander, 20, is returning to Boston University for a third season after putting up 24 points (2-22) in 39 games this season.

He’s also now at home in Stockholm and will play exhibition games for the national team in advance of the world championship next month in Stockholm and Herning, Denmark.

“His adviser informed us he was going back to school, and our development staff has formed a great relationship with Tom,” said Allvin. “They felt he was ready to turn pro after two successful years. It’s a lot of money for a young player to pass on.

“We’ll continue to work with Tom and he’ll be here at development camp (in July). It’s part of learning to be a pro when that next step comes.”

However, if Willander keeps balking at signing, he could become an attractive trade chip in a big deal to augment the Canucks’ offence upfront.

bkuzma@postmedia.com

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