3 reasons why New York Rangers won J.T. Miller trade with Vancouver Canucks 

The Vancouver Canucks have agreed to trade center J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers, New York Post’s Larry Brooks confirmed on X/Twitter.

According to The Athletic, the reported trade involves sending J.T. Miller, Erik Brannstrom and Jackson Dorrington to New York in return for Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini and a protected 2025 first-round pick.

The deal ended weeks of speculation surrounding a rift between Miller and Canucks teammate Elias Pettersson.

Here’s a closer look at three reasons why New York won the J.T. Miller trade with Vancouver.

3 reasons why New York Rangers won J.T. Miller trade with Vancouver Canucks

#3. Rangers did not include multiple draft picks

The Canucks got a first-round pick in the J.T. Miller trade as opposed to the Colorado Avalanche who did not get one in the Mikko Rantanen trade.

However, the New York Rangers hedged their bet by making the pick a top-13 protected pick. In other words, if the Rangers finish in the bottom 13 in the league, their first-round pick will be moved to another year.

That’s a big win for the Rangers in case they flame out this season and do not make the playoffs. Moreover, if the Rangers do make the playoffs, the Canucks will end up with a late first-rounder, drastically reducing the pick’s overall value.

#2. Rangers did not give a top player

Initial rumors suggested that the Canucks wanted a center in return for either Miller or Pettersson. As talks involving the Rangers surfaced, the first name that came to light was Mika Zibanejad. However, the Rangers gave up Chytil instead.

This move is a huge win for the Rangers as Chytil, while a solid middle-six forward, is not a replacement for J.T. Miller. Now, the Rangers have both Miller and Zibanejad, giving the club the depth it needs to make a serious run at the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.

#1. Rangers did not give up a high-end prospect

The Rangers sent blue liner Victor Mancini to the Canucks as part of the return. That move was a huge win for New York as it did not sacrifice one of its top prospects. For instance, the Rangers did not give up Brennan Othmann, Gabe Perreault or EJ Emery.

Mancini, while playing a solid role this season, has been up and down between the AHL and NHL. He projects as a good bottom-pairing defenseman, perhaps growing into a solid bottom-four option. However, he is not a highly coveted high-end defensive prospect like others around the league.

Who do you think won the J.T. Miller trade between the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.