Canucks insider baffled by J.T. Miller signing $56,000,000 extension in 2022 despite knowing Elias Pettersson's guaranteed future in Vancouver

Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford went public on Tuesday about the alleged rift between J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson. The two stars reportedly have had individual conflict which has spilled onto the ice and has reflected in the Canucks results this season.

In an exclusive interview with Gary Mason of The Globe and Mail on Tuesday, the President stated that the management has not been able to bring both players on the same page despite numerous efforts.

"I felt like for a long time that there was a solution here because 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 and so it certainly appears like there’s not a good solution that would keep this group together," said Rutherford.

Several insiders have since given their two cents on the matter. On the "Donnie and Dhali" podcast, Vancouver Canucks insider Rick Dhaliwal questioned J.T. Miller signing his extension with the team even after knowing that he and the Swedish forward haven't been on good terms. Pettersson was the Canucks' 2017 NHL draft fifth overall section.

"Miller signed first. Miller knew the Canucks were not going to let Petterson walk. They knew that they were going to re-sign this guy, because you don't let fifth overall picks walk on, you don't. But they both knew they were signing long term," Dhaliwal said.

J.T. Miller's extension came in 2022 when he signed a seven-year, $56 million contract. Pettersson's contract, meanwhile, was settled in the summer of 2024 when he was locked in by the club for an eight-year $92.8 million deal.

Vancouver Canucks unlikely to settle for "low-ball" offers, as per NHL insider

Despite Rutherford's admission insiders are certain that Canucks will hold onto both Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller if the return for their trade isn't appropriate. As per TSN's Darren Dreger, speaking on "Insider Trading" on Tuesday, the team will not accept a trade offer if it doesn't meet the standards they are looking for.

"Yeah, not interested in the low ball offer. It has to be respectable. I mean, you talked about two star quality players here, J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson. And you know, this ongoing scenario trying to trade both those guys, or one of those men, has been ongoing for the last couple of months," Dreger said.

Canucks have 54 points in 49 games and are fifth in the Pacific Division. They are just outside the Western Conference playoffs spot, one point behind the Calgary Flames who have 55 points.