NHL Rumor Roundup: Latest On J.T. Miller, Questions Raised About Simon Nemec

NHL fans and pundits are still buzzing over a failed trade that would’ve sent Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers.

According to The Athletic, the Canucks would’ve received center Filip Chytil and defenseman Ryan Lindgren. However, disagreement over the protection structure of the first-round pick scuttled the deal.

Chytil, 25, is signed through 2026-27 with an average annual value of $4,437,500. Lindgren is on a one-year, $4.5-million contract and is UFA-eligible on July 1.

The Rangers also scratched three Hartford Wolfpack players from their game on Saturday against Charlotte. It’s uncertain if they were to be part of the deal. The New York Post‘s Larry Brooks listed them as Bo Groulx, Adam Sykora and Jaroslav Chemlar, suggesting they might’ve been part of a multi-player deal with the Canucks.

“I’m not going to go in and comment on any specific names or anything,” Canucks GM Patrik Allvin told reporters on Monday. “My job is always to listen to see what makes this club better today, tomorrow and for the future.”

Meanwhile, CHEK-TV’s Rick Dhaliwal cited Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, claiming he heard Miller’s preferred trade destinations are U.S.-based teams in the Eastern Conference. He believes the Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes remain interested and wondered about the New York Islanders.

The Hockey News’ Stefen Rosner reported the Islanders have “poked around” on Miller but he believes they were doing due diligence. His sources think they’re more interested in Miller’s teammate Elias Pettersson. However, recent reports elsewhere suggest the Canucks prefer to retain Pettersson.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun also reported the Rangers and Hurricanes were linked to Miller, along with the New Jersey Devils and the Dallas Stars. The Athletic’s Cory Lavalette indicated the Canucks were interested in Hurricanes forwards Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jack Roslovic in the past. He thinks moving both would free up cap space for Miller while decluttering a center position filled with third-liners but has no one to slot in behind first-liner Sebastian Aho.

Speaking of the Devils, there are rumblings GM Tom Fitzgerald will be busy before the trade deadline to shore up his roster. He’s reportedly in the market for a center who can provide “extra oomph” to the lineup, which explains his club’s rumored interest in Miller.

Promising defenseman Simon Nemec was considered a possible trade chip to address that need at center following his remarks to a Slovak news outlet expressing disappointment over spending this season with the Devils’ AHL affiliate in Utica.

New Jersey Hockey Now’s James Nichols cited a Devils source acknowledging Nemec’s disappointment but hadn’t heard any frustration from him. Elliotte Friedman believes they won’t do anything rash with the young blueliner.