Just A Little More J.T. Miller Rumor Mill…
Chris Johnston (Twitter) via NHL Watcher: A debate that rages on is how much value does J.T. Miller actually have. It is a great question and this depends on who you ask.
Miller is a point-a-game player currently and no one ever knows how long that will last. He is offensive heavy (defense has always been an issue). Vancouver does not feel urgency yet but only because it is February and not March. Time will tell what their stance truly is.
More on Young Vancouver Canucks Trade Targets?
Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal of The Athletic: Again, Thatcher Demko has kept this thing afloat since that 8-0-1 start. Otherwise, Vancouver is probably a full sell at this point.
That said, Vancouver’s management is looking to the future already. Young trade targets can be plentiful this time of year. Vitali Kravtsov and Pavel Zacha come to mind immediately. Both have been mentioned several times and make sense for different reasons.
Owen Tippett and Adam Beckman could carry more intrigue. Tippett is a victim of a number’s game in Florida. Beckman possesses top-six talent even with slightly below averaging skating ability. Minnesota is kicking the tires at a J.T. Miller possibly.
After that, maybe a Jake DeBrusk is worth a look but the price tag would be more than for a Dillon Dube or Travis Dermott. Then again, the latter two do not move any needles.
A Little About Evander Kane…
Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News: Ultimately, how Evander Kane’s season plays out in Edmonton goes a long way to determining his future. It’s already checkered and tarnished forever. Now, what may happen next?
It appears giving Kane a longer-term deal is widely viewed as dangerous. Does a team do it? That is the unknown. When motivated, Kane is producing. When not, problems seem to follow him and the team he is on. That is the pattern.
Burning bridges has been his specialty. Growing up has to be it now.