Donnie & Dhali: Rick Dhaliwal and Don Taylor on the latest on Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Dhaliwal: “Hey, look, everybody wants Miller trade ASAP, Donnie. Everybody’s, the thirst is, ‘Oh, give me Miller updates.’ I look, as I’ve said for a while, the offers for Miller, Miller haven’t been great, Donnie. Hou know, a deal would have been struck by now if they were great. Some offers have been actually, low balls.
People got to realize Canucks are trading a guy who turns 32 next month, five years left $8 million per year. He’s having an off year, issues with Pettersson, absence, leave of absence. Look, there’s a lot of things for teams to consider. This is not an easy trade Don.
Rangers, yes, still in the mix, but they’re 6-0-3 in the past nine. So they can be more patient. Now, Rangers are playing really, really well Don.”
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Taylor: “Yeah.”
Dhaliwal: “Carolina’s got interest, but how long will they be in it? Remember this, I want you to remember this Don.”
Taylor: “Okay, I will.”
Dhaliwal: “They have a very hands on owner who likes to bargain shop all the time. That seems like a team that would want the Canucks to retain money on Miller’s contract. The owner is well known in Carolina for calling agents during contract negotiations and reminding agents all the time the low cost of living in Carolina and the low taxes in Carolina.”
Taylor: “Tom Dundon.”
Dhaliwal: “Tom Dundon, he’s hands-on. He gets in there. He gets greasy. It gets in there, and, you know, starts calling…”
Taylor: “The Canucks should sign him.”
Dhaliwal: “Trying to say he gets in there. He gets, you know what I’m talking about. So anyways, the Carolina owner in there is interesting. We’ll see what happens.
I do believe the Devils like Miller a lot, but cutting a deal for Miller from the New Jersey side is a whole lot tougher than just saying hey, we like the player.”
Taylor: “Just send the Hughes brothers Vancouver’s way.”
Dhaliwal: “Yeah, sure.”
Taylor: “It’s easy.”
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Dhaliwal: “Get it done in next 10 seconds, Don. Come on. Are you kidding me? Anyways, I know you’re joking.”
Miller has not been asked to waive. This trade could happen today, could happen at the Four Nations, or it could happen the deadline, or it could happen in the offseason.”
Taylor: “What’s new here?”
Dhaliwal: “Okay, but hold it a second, I’m going to get to what’s new. The Canucks got to pay OEL $4.7 million next year, (Ilya Mikheyev $700,000.”
Taylor: “So that takes care of the cap.”
Dhaliwal: “Because, okay, well, that’s why the Vancouver Canucks, you would assume, have no interest in retaining on Miller. It’s too much money, Don, next year.
I don’t know how the Canucks aren’t frustrated right now. They’re not getting fair value in return. But one phone call.”
Taylor: “Frustrated with who? With who?”
Dhaliwal: “But just with the whole situation.”
Taylor: “Yeah.”
Dhaliwal: “Yeah, you know.”
Taylor: “Frustrated with their own player, I would imagine.”
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Dhaliwal: “Yeah, yeah, exactly. This thing’s obviously gone on too long. It’s been, it’s been on and on week after week after week. And boy, you like to get it, nip it in the bud and get it over with. But it’s not that easy. That easy. It’s not that easy. The offers haven’t been great. Canucks are not dealing from a position of strength. It’s a tough go, trying to move this guy.”
Taylor: “A couple of things, and I’ll start here. So many times when something goes on like this, and there’s all sorts of speculation and player is reportedly on the trade market. And there’s all sorts of rumors floating around about certain teams, that something comes out of left field.”
Dhaliwal: “That could happen.”
Taylor: “Dallas has been mentioned, Rick. Boston has been mentioned. Oh, yeah, okay, what about those two teams? And what I just said, something come out of left field? Maybe not Carolina, maybe not the Rangers, maybe not the Devils.”
Dhaliwal: “Well, another team you hear a lot about. I don’t know if it’s Petterson or Miller but Chicago.”
Taylor: “Yeah.”
Dhaliwal: “Look, here’s the other thing for you, Don. Every team’s checked in. Every team’s checked in. What I’m going to tell you is so many teams love Miller’s snarl, his edge, his size, his physicality. Hockey people will never, ever stop like, liking what Miller brings to the table. Every team in the league’s probably checked in. I mean, come on.”
Taylor: “Do the Canucks like that?”
Dhaliwal: “Like what?”
Taylor: “The snarl, the edge.”
Dhaliwal: “The Americans on 4 Nations love his snarl, his physicality. Everybody loves Miller the player. The problem is he’s turning 32 next year. He’s got five years at $8 million. There’s dressing room issues. It’s a tough deal to make. Don, it’s a tough deal to make.”
Taylor: “What about, also out of left field I would think. You don’t hear a lot about this. Well, two things. Number one, what if, out of nowhere, it’s Petterson who moves? Or the more likely situation, what if Miller stays?”
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Dhaliwal: “Yeah.”
Taylor: “What if Miller sticks around? What if they don’t trade him until near the trade deadline, when there’s a little more heat on the contending teams, or in the offseason?”
Dhaliwal: “You make a good point.”
Taylor: “When eams are upset with the way they played.”
Dhaliwal: “I’ll tell you what. You make a good point, and I’ll tell you why. Everything’s on the table right now, you know. You think after that, Buffalo game management’s happy, everything. If they’re still taking calls on Pettersson, he’s still got to be in play too. He’s got to be in play Don.”
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