3 New Jersey Devils Trades With Struggling Vancouver Canucks

J.T. Miller is the perfect player for the New Jersey Devils and Vancouver Canucks to target in a trade. He’s still got an extra year left on his deal, he’s been a leader on the ice, and he is still in his 20s, so he has plenty of time to mesh with the Devils roster. His cost is very hard to pin down. The Canucks spent a 1st-round pick to get Miller from the cap-strapped Lightning.

That was three seasons ago, and there have been varied results since then. The first season Canucks and Miller were together, they went to Game 7 of the second round with the Vegas Golden Knights. It seemed like they would be a perfect combination. Miller grew into his new role as a top forward, and the Canucks had the perfect young core to build around him.

The second season was shortened by the pandemic, but Miller was still productive. He’s even been productive this season despite the Canucks being in the tank. He has 19 points in 19 games.

It’s going to cost the Devils something significant to get Miller on the roster. Janne Kuokkanen seems like the right type of player to help them with their turnaround. He does a lot right, but he’s struggling to get points this season. He could turn that part of his season around with the talent in Vancouver. Nikita Okhotyuk might have to be replaced with a better prospect, and they might demand someone like Kevin Bahl. It might be worth it.

Where the Devils should say no is if the Canucks demand a 1st-round pick. The team just isn’t in a position to trade something like that in such a deep draft for a player that might be here for a year and a half.