The Minnesota Wild’s commerce for defenseman Quinn Hughes has added a brand new dimension to J.T. Miller commerce chatter. Hughes might reportedly function a sounding board for common supervisor Invoice Guerin serving to the group perceive the circumstances behind the broadly publicized break up between Miller and former Canucks star Elias Pettersson, ought to the Wild discover a attainable Miller transfer.
Insiders Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic pointed to Miller as a participant who suits the type of mildew Guerin admires.
“We all know Guerin has a smooth spot for Miller,” they famous. “Miller is a Guerin sort of participant. Arduous-nosed, surly, glorious within the faceoff circle and someone who can rating, with a career-high 37 targets and 103 factors in 2023-24.”
The insiders emphasised the balancing act Guerin would ultimately face. Taking up a participant with 4 extra years at $8 million per season might restrict the Wild’s flexibility to pursue different high-end targets sooner or later, comparable to Quinn’s brothers Jack or Luke Hughes, or Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators.
“The difficulty is he turns 33 this 12 months and has 4 extra years on his contract at an $8 million AAV. And if the Wild tackle numerous time period, it might take them out of the working for some larger fish — like, let’s say, a Jack and Luke Hughes or a Brady Tkachuk commerce within the offseason or past.”
“If Guerin would ever entertain this, he might need to sit down with Hughes and determine precisely what went on behind the scenes in Vancouver that led to the much-publicized Miller-Elias Pettersson divorce,” Russo and Smith famous.
Miller is signed to a seven-year contract with a complete worth of $56 million. His full no-move clause makes any commerce contingent on his willingness to relocate and he won’t attain unrestricted free company till the conclusion of the 2029-30 season.
Elias Pettersson commerce return in comparison with J.T. Miller commerce
Earlier final week, NHL insider Frank Seravalli addressed the commerce state of affairs surrounding Elias Pettersson on Sportsnet 650, evaluating Pettersson’s potential return to that of former Canucks middle J.T. Miller who was traded to the New York Rangers in 2025.
Seravalli famous that Pettersson, beneath an eight-year, $92.8 million contract with an $11.6 million cap hit and a full no-movement clause beginning in 2025‑26, might command the next return than some anticipated.
“I feel they’ll do manner higher than that. I do,” Seravalli mentioned. “The market has modified on Pettersson as a result of groups see how exhausting it’s to get a participant like him. They see the upside and evaluate it to what different facilities are being paid. 11.6 is a threat, however it’s not loopy with the cap rising and the middle market being skinny.”
He added that groups perceive alternatives like this are uncommon which explains why the Canucks have been contemplating that Pettersson’s commerce worth would possibly exceed preliminary projections.
Whereas Pettersson’s bigger contract complicates any potential commerce, the Canucks might see a big return if a deal materialized, much like however probably exceeding the worth obtained within the Miller commerce.
Edited by Anjum Rajonno
