The Rangers have already executed a few trades as they look to get the season back on track after a weekslong skid but had a potential deal for an impact center fall through over the weekend, according to multiple reports.
New York and the Vancouver Canucks got deep into trade talks that were "clearly serious" before ultimately falling apart on Saturday to acquire former Rangers draft pick J.T. Miller, according to a report in The Athletic.
The deal for the 31-year-old center involved the Blueshirts dealing center Filip Chytil, defenseman Ryan Lindgren and some "future-focused assets," per The Athletic report. (The report did indicate that the specific parameters of the deal could not be definitively confirmed.)
The deal did not progress to the point where Miller was asked to waive his no-trade clause before talks fell through between the sides, the report read.
Miller for his part was not held out of Saturday's game against Edmonton and tallied two assists in a 3-2 win. After the game, he said he is "planning on being a Canuck today, tomorrow" and that "whatever happens, happens. I'm focused on the next game."
This isn't the first time New York GM Chris Drury has attempted to acquire Miller this year as he reportedly offered Mika Zibanejad to Vancouver.
The Rangers traded defenseman Jacob Trouba to Anaheim and forward Kaapo Kakko to Seattle in December. At the time of those deals, Lindgren's name had been floated in trade talks.
Lindgren, who turns 27 in early February, has been with the Rangers since he was a second-round pick in 2016. He has 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 41 games this year and is a minus-4 in 19:57 minutes of average ice time. This would be his first year with a negative plus-minus since his five-game debut during the 2018-19 campaign.
Chytil, 25, was the No. 2 overall pick in 2017 and has been plagued with injuries the past two years. But when he has been on the ice he has performed decently in recent years while not fully meeting his high potential, tallying 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) in 37 games this year as a plus-5 in 14:04 time on the ice.
Miller, the 15th overall selection by New York in 2011, is in his sixth season with Vancouver and has tallied 31 points (eight goals, 23 assists) in 35 games and a minus-6. He has allied 30 goals and at least 50 points in each of the past three seasons. The Rangers dealt Miller to Tampa in the middle of his sixth season with the club. The Lightning then sent him to the Canucks before the 2019-20 campaign.
The Rangers have been playing better of late – grabbing points in nine of 10 games in January – but with 48 points through 46 games are still four points out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
