So says NHL insider Darren Dreger of TSN.

It’s no secret that Miller and Pettersson do not get along, and it’s affecting their on-ice play, while dragging down the rest of the Canucks. Two star players warring isn’t conducive to a winning atmosphere. Hence, the Canucks (22-17-10) are on the outside looking in at a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

But who’s to blame for the bad blood? Miller is the more abrasive personality, so that leads to concern.

“Don’t think teams aren’t doing their homework here, making sure they understand what’s going on in Vancouver. Why hasn’t this worked for J.T.? How much of this is he responsible for?,” Dreger said on the Sekeres and Price podcast.

Brayden Schenn and J.T. Miller dropped the gloves right off the face-off 😳 pic.twitter.com/LEKPT1Wxin

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 28, 2025

Miller took a leave of absence for personal reasons earlier this season. He’s been benched at times during games by Canucks coach Rick Tocchet. And the 103-point scorer from last season has 34 (nine goals, 25 assists) in 39 games this season.

The first-round pick (No. 15 overall) by the Rangers in the 2011 draft remains tight-lipped publicly, as is his nature, about any issues with Pettersson.

But Canucks president Jim Rutherford provided a clear look into the ugly relationship Tuesday.

“Everybody has worked on it, including the parties involved. But it only gets resolved for a short period of time and then it festers again. So it certainly appears like there’s not a good solution that would keep this group together,” Rutherford told the Globe and Mail.

When asked if he was referring to Miller and Pettersson, he replied, “yes, yup.”

Make that a Gordie Howe hat trick for JT Miller on a wicked snipe from distance all alone and chases Jordan Binnington. #Canucks

pic.twitter.com/W63nkhKamS

— Tyson Cole (@tyson_cole) January 28, 2025

The Rangers have been in on re-acquiring Miller for several months. Reportedly a Miller for Mika Zibanejad trade fell through in November. Another possible trade involving Miller and New York was close on Jan. 18, but, again, did not reach completion.

“I’m not 100 percent convinced that there was a deal there to be made,” Dreger said. “How close is close?”

Dreger does believe the Rangers remain in on Miller and added that the Columbus Blue Jackets are “kicking the tires” about a possible deal. He added that the Buffalo Sabres will “stay in it” until told they’re out of any competition. And don’t rule out the Colorado Avalanche, who just traded star winger Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes.

But Dreger did say he heard from a source that one team is no longer in on the Miller.

“I had a real good Dallas source curiously tell me [the Stars] aren’t in it,” Dreger stated. “And that was a day ago. So that takes a pretty big player (team) out of play (for Miller).”

Related: What’s next for Rangers as J.T. Miller trade speculation heats up

Rangers remain in mix for possible J.T. Miller trade

As for Pettersson, his name is all over the trade rumor mill, too. Especially with reports that the Hurricanes were in talks with the Canucks about dealing for Pettersson before making the Rantanen trade.

Pettersson makes $11.6 million annually through 2031-32. That’s much more than Miller, who averages $8 million per through 2029-30. Pettersson is five years younger than Miller.

However, Pettersson has just 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) in 43 games this season. Like Miller, he has one 100-point season on his resume (102 in 2022-23).

Dreger said it’s possible the Canucks could trade both of their star centers. Then Rutherford took it one step further Tuesday, throwing captain Quinn Hughes’ name into the fray.

“If we were going to completely start over, that means he goes,” Rutherford said about Hughes, whose 56 points this season are tied with Cale Makar of the Avalanche for most by an NHL defenseman. “And we’d like to figure out a way that he’s here forever.”

Simply, it’s mess in Vancouver, even after the Canucks secured a second straight win Monday night, 5-2 over the Blues in St. Louis.

But a resolution could be coming soon. Reportedly the Canucks want to make at least one trade before the 4 Nations Face-off in February. The NHL trade deadline is March 7.

As Dreger pointed out, Rutherford “has a reputation for getting things done early.”

Trouba laid Barron out at 7:11 with a booming check in which he kept his arms in and exploded through the Canadiens defenseman along the boards in the neutral zone. Barron appeared to put himself in a vulnerable position before the hit, which is part of the criteria for a penalty or further discipline being handed out.

Barron was dazed and cut, and appeared to hit his head on the ice after the check. He was helped to the dressing room and didn’t return. Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis and several of his players voiced displeasure that Trouba was not penalized for the hit.

“When I saw the replay I found the principal point of contact was the head,” St. Louis stated firmly after the game.

Jacob Trouba catches Justin Barron with a hit and Mike Matheson drops the gloves with him right after. pic.twitter.com/ZEA7LYrQqo

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 23, 2024

Yet, despite the howls of the Montreal media, Hockey Insider Darren Dreger told TSN 690 that the hit was clean, no matter if Barron was hurt or not on the play.

“It was a devastating hit … devastating but clean,” Dreger explained. “That is how you can break down a lot of Jacob Trouba hits. You don’t like them because they’re explosive and can be damaging, and you never like to see a player like Justin Barron — any player for that matter — down and dazed on the play.

“But I can appreciate the emotion of the fan base, I can understand the frustration as a teammate or as an organization. You don’t like to see that. But if you analyze the play, which is what George Parros of the Department of Player Safety does, I don’t think there’s any level of supplemental discipline.”

Related: 3 Rangers takeaways from convincing 7-2 win against Canadiens

Jacob Trouba off to strong start with Rangers this season

It was the first signature Trouba hit of the young season, one where he absolutely explodes through an opposing player. The 30-year-old walks the fine line with some of these massive checks, and is among the most feared — and disliked — players in the League.

The Rangers captain has been previously suspended and/or fined for borderline or blatant illegal hits. Tuesday, there was no penalty on the play until Trouba was challenged to a fight by Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson.

Trouba received a five-minute major as did Matheson, who also received an instigating minor and 10-minute misconduct.

“He did not target the head,” Dreger said about Trouba. “You have to look at it and put both players in the sequence. It’s not just about how Jacob Trouba went through Justin Barron. Was Justin Barron responsible for a position of vulnerability? And that matters.”

IT. TAKES. EVERYONE. pic.twitter.com/nIRZFgZG9F

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) October 22, 2024

Trouba is off to a good start this season, and that continued Tuesday night. He leads the Rangers with 16 blocked shots, has four assists and is a plus-seven through six games. His xGF is a solid 57.75 percent, per Natural Stat Trick.

He set the tone against the Canadiens with two key blocked shots on the game’s first shift, setting up a transition that led to Mika Zibanejad’s goal at the other end of the ice just 54 seconds into the game. The Rangers surged to a 4-0 lead and knocked Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault out of the game at 11:05 of the first period.

Next up for the red-hot Rangers and their captain is a clash with the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers at MSG on Thursday. It’s their first look at the Panthers since Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final when the Rangers were eliminated by them.

On Thursday, longtime Rangers beat reporter Larry Brooks of the New York Post emphatically shot down a story that Blueshirts owner James Dolan wants the team to keep the pick. Darren Dreger reported the previous day that Dolan wants to “protect” that pick because the 2024 NHL Draft is being held at the Sphere in Las Vegas, which is also owned by Dolan, and he wants to make a big splash.

“The concept is ludicrous,” Brooks wrote Thursday. “More to the point, it has zero validity.”

These conflicting views notwithstanding, each reporter is highly respected and reliable.

Related: Rangers owner wants to keep 1st-round pick for 2024 draft at Sphere: report

Rangers expected to be busy ahead of 2024 NHL trade deadline

What’s most important is what the Rangers accomplish ahead of the trade deadline over the next four weeks. They’ve won three in a row for the first time since Dec. 15-19, opened up a six-point lead for first in the Metropolitan Division and appear in go-for-it mode this season, even with goalie Igor Shesterkin not quite on top of his game.

The Rangers could use a top-line right wing to play alongside Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider and a third-line center, now that Filip Chytil is out for the season with an upper-body injury.

A reunion with Frank Vatrano makes sense. The Anaheim Ducks All-Star right wing has 22 goals this season. Vatrano said “Playing in New York was the biggest thing that’s happened in my career to this point” in Toronto last week.

Vladimir Tarasenko is also a familiar option. And Anthony Duclair is probably the least expensive choice to fill that hole.

Down the middle, the Rangers could do a one stop shop in Anaheim if they could swing a big trade that would net Vatrano and center Adam Henrique. On a smaller scale there’s Sean Kuraly, who, like Vatrano, has another season to go on an affordable contract. Veteran Tyler Johnson is likely in play again now that he’s off injured reserve.

A Vatrano trade, or certainly a large-scale Ducks deal, likely would cost the Rangers their top pick in this year’s draft. Brooks reported “the Rangers first-rounder is in play.”

This should come into sharper focus in the coming weeks. Perhaps sooner rather than later what with top trade targets like Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan already moved way ahead of the deadline.

During a segment of “Insider Trading” on Tuesday, Dreger said, “Multiple sources have said that [Rangers general manager Chris] Drury is taking calls on Kakko.”

INSIDER TRADING…

– Latest on international hockey talks
– Chris Tanev’s trade future
– Will Monahan fetch a 1st?
– Kakko’s name surfaces ahead of trade deadline
– Update on Phil Kessel, John Klingberg

MORE: https://t.co/ewDgMIk5SR pic.twitter.com/ycEnppMyW4

— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) January 30, 2024

Related: Rangers eyeing center Adam Henrique ahead of trade deadline

Rangers ‘taking calls’ on Kappo Kakko, could trade forward ahead of deadline

It would appear the Rangers are not shopping the 22-year-old ahead of the NHL trade deadline on March 8. But the Blueshirts could be open to trading Kakko as part of a big deal that could bring back a top-six right wing or middle-six center, or both.

“Kaapo Kakko is perhaps an asset that Chris Drury … considers using as trade bait,” Dreger said. “New York has cap space and the assets like Kakko to acquire a significant piece.”

The Rangers gained salary cap relief of $4.4375 million when Filip Chytil was placed on long-term injured reserve Sunday. Chytil, who’d been out since sustaining an upper-body injury Nov. 2, had just returned to practice with the Rangers last week before he had a setback related to the initial injury at the morning skate Friday. Chytil is out for the rest of the season.

Kakko missed 21 games after he was injured Nov. 27 against the Buffalo Sabres. He returned to play right wing on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider two weeks ago in a win against the Washington Capitals.

But Kakko has bounced around the lineup since, though he’s scored three goals in eight games, including in consecutive games before the All-Star break.

LOOK OUT Kaapo Kakko is back #NYR pic.twitter.com/yvVY4GePAH

— New York Rangers #NYR (@NewNyr16295) January 17, 2024

In his fifth season since being selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Kakko hasn’t quite met the high expectations placed on him. He’s scored more than 10 goals once in his career, when he seemed to have turned the corner with an NHL career-high 18 goals and 40 points playing all 82 games last season.

Despite that solid production and reliable two-way play, the Rangers could consider trading Kakko in order to land a more accomplished right wing to play on the top line. The Rangers have struggled over the years to find the right fit alongside Zibanejad and Kreider, with Mats Zuccarello, Pavel Buchnevich, Alexis Lafreniere, Vladimir Tarasenko, Patrick Kane, Blake Wheeler and Kakko among those given an opportunity.

Perhaps the best fit was Frank Vatrano, who skated with the pair two seasons ago after being acquired from the Florida Panthers ahead of the trade deadline. That trio played a big role in helping the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Final, when they lost in six games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Vatrano could be on the trade block, if the Rangers are interested. He’s an NHL All-Star with 21 goals this season for the Anaheim Ducks, who are mired at the bottom of the League’s standings.

Another reason why Drury and the Rangers might be willing to listen to offers on Kakko is that he’s a restricted free agent at the end of the season and likely looking at a bump into the $4 million range on his next deal, similar to what Chytil signed for last summer.

With the NHL Expansion Draft just hours away, all kinds of leaks are going on. And based on reports from Larry Brooks, Darren Dreger, and Frank Seravalli, it appears that Oscar Lindberg will be leaving the bright lights of New York for the Las Vegas Strip.

Lindberg will be tough to replace for the Blueshirts. A young two-way centerman with a ton of upside, Lindberg will be very valuable to Vegas. He is a force on the penalty kill and looks like he can be a top-six forward in the near future.

In terms of replacing the young Swede, the Rangers are now in a bit of a pickle. They don’t have a lot of organizational depth down the middle. And now that it appears Lindberg is heading out the door, moving Stepan just became that much harder for Jeff Gorton. Within the farm system, the Rangers have Boo Nieves, who got a good look in training camp before this past season; and Marek Hrivik, who has had a couple cups of tea with the big club. Hrivik has been a good player when he was on Broadway, making smart decisions and playing strong defensively. Hrivik put up 40 points this year for the Pack, and can hopefully bring that scoring touch if he moves up the ladder to MSG.

Per Darren Dreger, the Rangers and right-wing Mats Zuccarello are involved in discussions that may include a long-term contract.

The Norweigian forward has a scoring line of 11-21-32 points in fifty-three games this season. Darren Dreger also noted that the Rangers won’t be trading the hobbit whether  a deal is done by March 2nd, or not.

Check it our FullTilt Exclusive Sales on Mats Zuccarello Signed Pucks and Photos!

This is good news but in a business like the New York Rangers’ you have to take this with a grain of salt. You never know what could happen between now and the deadline two weeks from now. An injury could affect the already shallow center depth or the sides could be so far apart that management begins listening to offers.

Darren Dreger also noted on NBCSN that Mats Zuccarello is looking for 5 million plus. That demand is likely why no extension hasn’t been worked out yet.

Alain Vigneault stated that he wants Mats Zuccarello back on Broadway long-term.

Mats Zuccarello is a fan favorite for his relentless style of play. Zuc is liked by his teammates and management as much as he is by the fans. Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault has stated his desire to keep Mats Zuccarello in New York. It’s unlikely AV would have made a statement like that without inside knowledge. He most likely would not undermine his general manager. AV knows how Glen Sather feels about resigning “Zuc” and the direction the Rangers plan to go.

Resigning Mats Zucarello could directly effect the status of Carl Hagelin and Martin St. Louis.

The contract talks with Mats Zuccarello are likely a direct result of how Glen Sather plans to deal with Carl Hagelin and Martin St. Louis. Zuc and MSL are Unrestricted and Hagelin is restricted. For this reason, the Rangers may let Martin St. Louis and his $5 mil contract go first. Carl Hagelin is still cost controlled for another season before he is eligible to become unrestricted. That makes a long-term contract a little more difficult for the Rangers to get Carl Hagelin under. However, he’s a young two-way player and a staple on the Rangers for several years now.

Report: The New York Rangers still kicking the tires on Car (D) Andrej Sekera.

Yeah that’s right, we’re still talking about defenseman Andrej Sekera. It’s been over a year now since the Rangers love affair began with Sekera. Both sides should just kiss and get it over with. He’s a good defenseman and would help solidify the Rangers third defense pair but his $2.750 mil cap charge is more than the Rangers can afford.

Unless Sather plans to send a roster players contract to Carolina to make room for Sekera. He is likely nothing more than a pipe dream, especially with the need for a fourth line winger.

UPDATE: 2/7/14
1:00PM – The Olympic trade freeze starts today at 3pm. While I believe there will be trades, Ryan Callahan will not be one of them. This drama will go all the way to March 5th. Here’s the latest from around the league.

UPDATE: 2/6/14
1:30 PM – Don’t you just love the ups and downs of a good old fashioned drama. On the heels of “his last game” as a NYR tonight versus Edmonton (if you believe the team imposed deadline of tomorrow), Ryan Callahan is not only NOT SCRATCHED, he’s on the PP!

UPDATE: 2/4/14
5:00 PM – Now Darren Dreger and the TSN crew are reporting Callahan has been looking for 7 million. Why can’t anyone get this straight? Here’s what I know, none of this information is being leaked from Ryan Callahan’s side. This is all part of a PR game by the Rangers to A) Get Ryan to the table and B) Villianize him to look like the bad guy. Oh this is going to be a fun week.

UPDATE: 2/3/14
4:43 PM – As I stated this morning it’s quiet and as per Katie Strang of ESPN (and other outlets), Cally’s agent will get back to the Rangers this week. It is very likely that nothing will happen before late Thursday or Friday. Matter of fact, I am still of the belief that Friday is just a soft deadline set by the NYR to get Cally to the table. If the decision is to trade Callahan, it will not come until the March deadline. Of course that won’t alleviate the worries. Keep coming back and click the #CallyCrisis link above for new updates.

9:00 AM – The quiet before the storm? It appears that the Friday deadline may be a soft one. The two sides are committed to getting this done. However, Sather is holding firm to 5 years. Could it be possible they settle at 6 years? Maybe 5 years with a team’s option for a 6th? I don’t believe he will be traded this week but I also never thought it would have got to this point either.

UPDATE: 2/2/14
Now the word is that Cally’s side is softening on their hard stance of 7 years. There may be hope yet NYR fans.

UPDATE: 2/1/14
The situation appears to have gone from problem to crisis. Glen Sather is dead serious about moving Ryan Callahan by Friday’s Olympic Trade Deadline if he and his agent Steve Bartlett do not back off their contract demands.

Since August, Callahan has stood firm of wanting at least a 7 year contract at 42 million. He and his agent have been pushing for 8 years to start but the Rangers are firm in their stance on a 5 year deal at 30 million. The situation has grown so contentious that the Rangers have leaked information to the media in an effort to get Callahan to the table to no avail.

My source early yesterday said “he’s as good as gone.” I literally told him that he’s crazy. Later in the day word breaks that the NY Rangers have allowed teams to speak with Callahan’s agent. I was then informed one of those teams is Columbus. Guess who was at the Garden last night? None other than the President of the Blue Jackets, John Davidson. Yes, I know he was scheduled to be there for Sam Rosen but you have to raise an eyebrow.

Of the teams sniffing around, you need to add St. Louis, Detroit and Tampa Bay to the mix as well. The list is growing and the possibility of a “knock your socks off” trade offer may come. So what will happen? Ryan Callahan said last night that “his heart is here”. We all believe him too, but he is going to have to make a decision before Glen makes it for him by Friday.

What happens next? Your guess is as good as mine. If you listen to my guy prepare for the worst. My take is if he doesn’t sign the offer made by Sather, we could be looking at the last days of Captain Cally. Hold on Rangers fans, we are in for a tumultuous week.

—

Unthinkable? Unimaginable? These are the words I uttered for the last few weeks whenever someone mentioned the possibility of trading Captain Ryan Callahan. Today, I must bring myself to admit it’s a harsh reality.

In our interview with Seth Rothman of Inside Hockey he said “I have a hard time believing they will actually trade him. Do I think contract negotiations are going well? I do not.” Seth continued with “the Rangers have to be careful here because you don’t want to lose him for nothing.” Ultimately, Seth feels Ryan will realize that he is not going to get those years and settle at around six. Seth would not discount the fact that Glen Sather will play hardball and could lead to a trade.

LISTEN TO THE FULL SHOW & INTERVIEW HERE!

This situation is slowly becoming the 800 pound gorilla in the room.  Earlier today, Darren Dreger of TSN tweeted that the Rangers and Blues are discussing Chris Stewart.

Western Conf teams suggest the Rangers are gathering intel on Chris Stewart. Callahan for Stewart would be a sweet deal for the Blues.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) January 31, 2014

Start the panic! Chris Stewart is a big boy who is 2 years younger than Ryan Callahan and could replace Callahan’s offensive production. What he can’t replace are the intangibles that Captain Cally brings. So is there more to this deal? Kevin Shattenkirk maybe? Pure speculation on my part but you have to think of all the possibilities.

Original Articles and updates written by Anthony Scultore