NHL trade rumors: Elliotte Friedman sheds light on possible J.T. Miller blockbuster trade for $68,000,000 NY Rangers forward

The first Saturday Headlines broadcast of 2025 featured Elliotte Friedman discussing trade rumors involving J.T. Miller for K'Andre Miller and Mika Zibanejad.

Vancouver Canucks forward Miller, has witnessed a slump in his performance this season. with six goals and 19 assists in 28 games. He also took a leave of absence due to undisclosed reasons.

Trade talks about him have been ongoing, but Friedman suggested that any move will likely keep Miller in the United States.

"No, I think if he agrees to go anywhere, it's probably going to be in the States, I would say." Friedman said about J.T. Miller

K'Andre Miller and Mika Zibanejad of the New York Rangers are also in the trade rumor spotlight. Zibanejad, who signed an eight-year, $68 million contract, has been a core player for the Rangers since 2016.

This season, though, has struggled, scoring eight goals and 23 points in 37 games with a -21 rating. K'Andre has also been effective on the blue line, with 30 points and a plus-minus of 5 last season.

Friedman noted that if the Canucks were serious about trading J.T. Miller for K'Andre Miller and Zibanejad, they might have done it already:

"I did. I don't know about the Miller, to be honest, but I just think that if Vancouver wanted to do that, they could have done it already. And don't forget, ZIbanejad has a no move clause as well."

Zibanejad also focused on NMC when questioned about recent rumors.

---

J.T. Miller's trade to the NY Rangers is not a possibility, considering Mika Zibanejad's statement

Recent reports suggest Mika Zibanejad might consider waiving his no-movement clause for the right opportunity. However, he downplayed that, saying he doesn’t follow rumors.

Despite the speculation, Zibanejad remains focused on his team and called the trade rumors "noise."

“I haven’t heard anything,” Zibanejad said via The Athletic on Friday, “I don’t read anything, I don’t listen to anything. It’s noise. ... My focus has always been here. My focus has never been on anything else.”

Zibanejad also emphasized the importance of his no-movement clause, which gives him control over his future.

"It’s something that was negotiated and earned,” Zibanejad reasoned for NMC, "There’s a reason why there are clauses like that. That’s what it is right now."

The Rangers, with a 17-20-1 record, are tied for last in the Metropolitan Division. They have already traded Jacob Trouba and Kaapo Kakko, signaling a possible retooling of their roster.

A trade involving J.T. Miller and Zibanejad would bring changes to both teams. The Rangers could benefit from Miller's offensive contributions, but moving Zibanejad would be a big decision.