One year ago, the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade that was meant to solve problems for both franchises. Instead, it’s turned into a cautionary tale-a deal that’s aged like milk for both sides, with Vancouver arguably taking the bigger hit.
Let’s rewind to the deal itself: the Canucks sent J.T. Miller, defenseman Erik Brännström, and prospect Jackson Dorrington to the Rangers.
In return, Vancouver received Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, and New York’s 2026 first-round pick. On paper, it looked like a shakeup that could benefit both teams-Vancouver moved on from a fractured locker room dynamic, and the Rangers added a proven point producer.
But in practice? The results have been rough.
Since the trade, both teams have landed among the NHL’s bottom five in points percentage. That’s not just disappointing-it’s a sign that the trade failed to move the needle in the way either front office had hoped.
For Vancouver, this move was as much about culture as it was about on-ice production. The tension between Miller and Elias Pettersson had become impossible to ignore.
Management didn’t want to part ways with Miller-he was still a top-line contributor-but felt they had no choice. The gamble was that removing Miller would unlock Pettersson’s game.
That hasn’t happened.
Pettersson, now the Canucks’ highest-paid player, has managed just 17 goals and 46 points in 66 games since the trade. That’s a 57-point pace over a full season-not exactly what you want from your franchise centerpiece. While he’s been tasked with tougher matchups, the same can be said for Miller in New York, and the numbers tilt in Miller’s favor.
Miller has posted 27 goals and 70 points in 78 games since joining the Rangers. Beyond the raw production, his defensive metrics tell a more complete story.
New York has allowed fewer shot attempts and expected goals when Miller is on the ice compared to when Pettersson is skating for Vancouver. In short: Miller has been the better all-around player since the trade, even if he’s likely past his peak.
That’s the other wrinkle here. Pettersson, despite being younger, hasn’t looked like his old self in nearly two years. He just turned 27, but the explosive offensive game that once made him a franchise cornerstone feels like a distant memory.
And yet, Miller’s presence hasn’t exactly propelled the Rangers forward. Fans have pointed to his inconsistent backchecking and lapses in effort, and New York’s spot in the standings hasn’t improved. It’s fair to say they overpaid-especially when you consider that the first-round pick they gave up ended up being 12th overall.
But the real head-scratcher came from Vancouver’s next move. Instead of holding onto that valuable pick and bolstering a thin prospect pipeline, the Canucks flipped it the same day. They packaged the pick with Vincent Desharnais, Danton Heinen, and prospect Melvin Fernstrom in a trade with Pittsburgh for Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor.
That’s where things really start to unravel.
Pettersson has struggled mightily this season. His Wins Above Replacement (WAR) is in the red, meaning he’s been performing below replacement level.
Among Canucks skaters, only Tyler Myers and Evander Kane have posted worse WAR numbers. That’s not the kind of return you want from a trade that cost you a lottery pick and multiple assets.
Meanwhile, the Penguins made the most of their haul. They flipped Desharnais to San Jose for a fifth-rounder and moved the 12th overall pick in a deal that netted them another first-rounder, giving them three cracks in the opening round of the 2025 draft. That’s the kind of asset management that builds long-term success-something Vancouver desperately needs.
And then there’s Filip Chytil, the player expected to help fill the void left by Miller. He’s played just 25 of Vancouver’s 86 games since the deal due to multiple concussions, contributing only five goals and nine points. Health is never something you can predict, but it’s another blow in a trade that’s offered the Canucks little in return.
So, who lost the trade? It’s tempting to say both teams did-and to some extent, that’s true.
But Vancouver’s missteps go beyond the initial deal. Trading a high first-round pick for short-term help, only to sink to the bottom of the standings anyway, is a move that stings now and could hurt even more in the years to come.
For the Canucks, this wasn’t just a failed trade-it was a failure in vision. And unless something changes fast, they’ll be living with the consequences for a long time.