The Toronto Maple Leafs will look to add some scoring to their lineup and one trade pitch has them acquiring a star forward.
The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Maple Leafs acquiring J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks.
Maple Leafs acquire:
Canucks acquire:
- Morgan Rielly
- Fraser Minten
- 2027 first-round pick
The proposed deal would be a blockbuster as Toronto would acquire Miller for a first-round pick, a star defenseman, and a young NHL forward.
Miller is in the second year of his seven-year $56 million deal with the Canucks, but his name has come up in trade rumors. Miller would bolster the Maple Leafs forward group and could help the struggling power play. This season with the Canucks, he’s skated in 34 games recording 8 goals and 21 assists for 29 points.
The big part of the return for the Canucks would be the first-round pick from the Maple Leafs. However, Vancouver would also acquire local player Rielly to bolster its struggling blue line. Rielly is in the third year of his eight-year $60 million deal with the Maple Leafs. He also has a no-movement clause but would likely waive it to go play at home. Rielly has skated in 46 games recording 5 goals and 15 assists for 20 points.
Toronto would also deal Minten who’s one of the Maple Leafs’ top prospects. Minten projects to be a bottom-six forward in the NHL and can play NHL minutes for the Canucks this season.
Canucks Likely to Trade Miller
Miller’s name has been part of trade rumors as he has been feuding with fellow star Elias Pettersson.
The feud has gone public and it has gotten to the point where a trade seems likely. NHL insider Chris Johnston says a trade involving Miller is likely.
“As Vancouver continues to work through their options, according to the sources I talk to,” Johnston said on TSN’s Insider Trading. “There is a sense league-wide that J.T. Miller is the more likely of the two players to be moved…
“None of this has been his idea,” Johnston added. “You talk about it being tough on the players and the people involved. I think the teams that have been around this have a sense that if it’s the right situation, he’s likely to move on.”
Miller has struggled this season and has been called out by his coach Rick Tocchet, which has only added to the speculation of him trading.
Analyst Calls for Maple Leafs to Trade Rielly
Rielly has been an important part of the Maple Leafs roster since he was selected fifth overall in 2012.
However, Rielly has struggled at times this season which is why NHL analyst Stephen Nixon of EditorinLeaf believes Toronto should look to trade Rielly.
“It’s not that I hate Rielly, nor think that he isn’t a top-four defenseman,” Nixon wrote. “But on a Stanley Cup roster, I envision him as the third-best defenseman. And unfortunately based on his salary, you can’t really afford to put him in that role, unless you trade someone of Marner or Tavares’ salary and that isn’t happening this year.
“Maybe they come off the books this summer and the Leafs go heavy on defensemen in free agency or via trade, but as of right now, the only solution to improve their defense is by trading their highest-paid defenseman,” Nixon added.
Rielly is a one-time NHL All-Star.
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