One man’s trash can very well be another man’s treasure. In the NHL that saying isn’t any less true. Of course, the Vancouver Canucks knew how talented J.T. Miller was, but his attitude simply didn’t match with that of Elias Pettersson and company. Now, reports suggest that the same personality that cost Miller his job in Vancouver might earn him a big promotion with the New York Rangers.
At this stage in the NHL offseason, there’s barely a need to dive into the details of the uncovered rift between Tocchet, Miller, and Pettersson in Vancouver. Months after Miller was traded back to New York, it’s water under the Lions Gate Bridge.
However, the Canucks won’t simply earn a free pass from the drama just because it’s been dealt with. The effects of one of the biggest moves of the 2024-25 NHL season will be felt for some time. Moreover, reports coming out of the Big Apple have made their way to Vancouver. The issue has come to the Canucks’ attention—whether they wanted it to or not.
After trading Jacob Trouba to Anaheim last season, the Rangers have been captain-less. That might not stay that way for much longer, though. The results were in plain sight this past campaign. The absence of a leading voice in the locker room was deeply felt as the Broadway Blueshirts spiraled out of control. As rumors around the NHL hint, the former Canucks forward might have the “C” sewn into his sweater.
J.T. Miller #9 of the Vancouver Canucks skates past Elias Pettersson #40 before the second period of their NHL game against the Washington Capitals at Rogers Arena on January 25, 2025 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
“The captain’s sweater is not just another piece of laundry. It represents the organization’s ethos. The Rangers acquired J.T. Miller to change the team culture,” The New York Post’s Larry Brooks stated. “The 32-year-old is hard-edged and can be abrasive. That is the identity the Blueshirts should adopt.”
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To each their own
While Pettersson’s Canucks felt there was no longer a place for Miller on the roster, the Rangers viewed the veteran forward as a key missing piece to theirs. Such a stark contrast only re-strengthens how the NHL works. Every franchise operates on a different level and under its own guidelines. What works in Manhattan isn’t guaranteed to have success in Vancouver, and that’s the magic of the sport.
“It’s not surprising, [Miller] is a leader,” insider Cam Robinson said on the Sekeres and Price podcast. “He is, without question, a leader. It’s just he’s a specific brand of leader. Those guys have their roles and they have their places. In some teams and locker rooms, that hardline, emotional, physical leader that will sometimes work and bring out the best out of some players.
“That Rangers group is one that needs that kind of motivation. It wouldn’t shock me if he was the captain. It might be a little surprising for how long he’s been on the team but he’s going to be around for a while. So, it’s not the craziest [choice].“
J.T. Miller #8 of the New York Rangers in action during the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Madison Square Garden on March 20, 2025 in New York City
The magic potion doesn’t last forever
After the disheartening year the Rangers have had in the NHL, it’s been made evident New York needs a drastic turn of the steering wheel. However, before committing to the new captain, the Rangers must be warned the effects of such an appointment might fade away in the blink of an eye. At the end of the day, such “at your face” leadership can lose its enchantment fast—and abruptly.
“It’s usually a short lifespan,” Robinson said. “You would imagine it’s going to be a shorter lifespan on that type of leader. So maybe after year three, four, or five that doesn’t elicit the response that you want anymore.”
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Leaders are going to lead
While rolling into a new NHL season without a captain on the team is often frowned upon, the Rangers might save themselves some formalities and adopt it, instead. After all, J.T. Miller didn’t wear the “C” in Vancouver, yet he was never one to mince his words. That isn’t expected to change in New York City.
“Then, there’s the other theory. Miller is just going to want to run the room, anyways,” Matthew Sekeres said. “So, you can probably save yourself from heartache by putting a letter and adorning that, because it’s going to happen whether he’s wearing a letter or not.”
Here. We. Go.
The Rangers are in for a rollercoaster of a season. If it’s any consolation, it would be hard for it to be much worse than last time around. Yet one can never say never. Mike Sullivan’s arrival is a sigh of relief and breeze of new hope, but is it enough to chase the franchise’s fifth Stanley Cup?
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As for the Canucks, Pettersson’s recent statements have more than excited fans about the future, but everybody in Vancouver knows better than to get their hopes up in the summer—because when they do, they often find themselves in a pit of pain and sorrow come spring.
