The NHL’s Trade Deadline is fast approaching and the Boston Bruins are still trying to determine if they’re buyers or sellers. After an offseason that saw the team sign Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov to big contracts, it was clear that the expectation for this season was to contend for the Stanley Cup. Given the team’s performance through its first 50 games, however, this may not be the case.
Despite occupying a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division, the Bruins have the worst goal differential in the division (minus-22) and the fifth-worst mark in the NHL. With their short-term future uncertain and their direction unclear, anything is on the table at this point. Should the Bruins decide to add at this deadline and aim to compete rather than trending towards a rebuild, however, an interesting name that they’ve reportedly kept tabs on in recent weeks has been Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller.
Prime insider Frank Seravalli mentioned the Bruins as the dark horse who could be interested in Miller, given their need for a center with high-end talent.
“I haven’t heard a lot of people talking about the Boston Bruins, and their need for a top-end center has been well-documented,” Seravalli said. “We’ve also heard Cam Neely, their President of Hockey Operations, hint at the idea that, ‘hey, we might have to rejig some things here based on the way that this season has played out.'”
It’s no secret that the Bruins have required a better center group since Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci retired following the 2022-23 season. This led to the team signing Lindholm in the offseason, though that deal hasn’t even remotely lived up to expectation yet with the 30-year-old scoring just eight goals and 24 points in 50 games this season despite carrying a $7.75 million annual cap hit and spending most of his time alongside David Pastrnak.
It’s unsurprising, then, that Seravalli has named the Bruins as an intriguing team to watch in this situation.
“I do believe that the Boston Bruins have kept very close tabs on the Miller situation with the Vancouver Canucks,” said Seravalli. “I would term them as a team lurking in the weeds right now to try and monitor those prices, and wouldn’t be surprised if this continues to linger on closer to the March 7 deadline. Even as much as Vancouver seems motivated and Miller seems ready to go, they’re a team that could remain in the mix.”
Bruins Face Challenges in Trading for Miller
Acquiring Miller will require the Bruins to shed salary, given his $8 million cap hit through 2030. To satisfy this need, they’ll undoubtedly have to move out roster players which adds an extra layer of difficulty to the formula. With the Canucks seemingly unwilling to retain a large portion of Miller’s contract, the Bruins will have to look at who they deem expendable in a trade that wouldn’t make them worse in the short or long term—a tough proposition, especially mid-season.
If the Bruins remain committed to their current timeline, especially with their offseason signings, then Miller would fall right in line with a quick retool for the team. In 37 games this season, the veteran has scored eight goals and 33 points. In his last three seasons, however, Miller has shown an elite offensive scoring touch, scoring 32 goals and 99 points, 32 goals and 82 points, and 37 goals and 103 points, respectively. The offensive talent is undeniable and his ability to win faceoffs would also be highly coveted, carrying a 54% career faceoff win percentage, including a staggering 59% win rate this season alone.
Miller does carry a no-movement clause (NMC), which converts to a 15-team no-trade list in the final three seasons of his deal. For this reason, as well as other limitations mentioned, moving Miller during the season may prove to be a tall task for the Canucks. Still, if the team is motivated to do so by the Trade Deadline, there’s no question that it’s within the realm of possibilities. Balancing salary needs while also meeting the Canucks’ trade demands from a value perspective will be a major challenge for the Bruins or any acquiring team.
