Analyst Hints J.T. Miller Trade Could Trigger a Star Forward's Exit from the New York Rangers
Now that J.T. Miller is a member of the Rangers and excelling in his first few games, trouble could be on the horizon for another one of the team's forwards.
The Rangers, out of a playoff position, traded big with the Canucks a week ago, sending a message that they're in for the long haul and competing for the present and future, with a big haul in reacquiring J.T. Miller for Erik Brannstrom and Jackson Dorrington.
The Rangers sent out Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, and a 2025 first-round pick in return to the Canucks.
Adding Miller, who is on a five-year, $8-million AAV contract, to Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad, the Rangers have three older, proven centers, all 31, locked in long-term deals.
The biggest question: How will it affect Zibanejad, whose performance faltered, relegating him to a third-line role? In a move that's proven effective early, Laviolette paired Artemi Panarin with Miller and Zibanejad in a top-six role, at least initially.
But with an aging, costly group in the middle, and with no blue-chip player in the pipeline, concerns will rise if there is a failure to make a deep run.
Mika Zibanejad the likliest player to be traded
Former NHL player turned analyst Steven Valiquette believes that Zibanejad could be the one that will likely no longer be with the team in the future.
- Stephen Valiquette
With no chance Miller will leave, and with a likely future captain in Trocheck, that leaves Zibanejad, with a full no-trade, as the likelier one to be moved.
However, with a role change, and 30 games to go, each one being a playoff battle, all eyes will then go to Zibanejad's future, which could be soon ending on Broadway.
