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NHL insider: Bruins remain as a ‘dark horse’ in J.T. Miller sweepstakes
“Their need for a top-end center has been well documented."
It remains to be seen what Don Sweeney and the Boston Bruins will do ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.
While Boston is currently in the playoff picture, their up-and-down play and extended track record of dealing draft picks in search of win-now results could prompt management to either sell off assets as part of a retool — or shake up the roster entirely by moving multiple contracts off their books.
But could the Bruins both bolster their current roster this spring, and retool their roster on the fly?
One way Boston could do it is by swinging a trade for J.T. Miller. The veteran forward appears to be on his way out in Vancouver.
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According to Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, the Bruins remain in the mix for the star forward — whose trade value might not be all that steep for a player coming off a 103-point campaign in 2023-24.
“I haven’t heard a lot of people talking about the Boston Bruins,” Seravalli said on “NHL Coast to Coast” on Sports on Prime Canada last week when asked which team could be a “dark horse” for Miller. “Their need for a top-end center has been well documented. 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 this season has played out.’
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“I do believe that the Boston Bruins have kept very close tabs on the Miller situation with the Vancouver Canucks. 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. … They’re a team that could remain in the mix.”
The Carolina Hurricanes were tabbed as a potential suitor for Miller, but they are now out of the mix after swinging a blockbuster trade for Colorado winger Mikko Rantanen on Friday.
The Rangers — Miller’s former team — reportedly remain in the mix for the forward, although a deal fell through that reportedly included middle-six forward Filip Chytil, a first-round pick, and a prospect, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Even though Miller has established himself as one of the more productive forwards in the NHL over the last few years, Vancouver’s urgency to move him, his prickly disposition, and both his age (31) and contract (signed through 2029-30 at an $8 million cap hit) might have him tabbed as a depressed asset in any potential move.
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“When these Miller trade talks with teams started several weeks ago, the Canucks were telling teams they needed apples to apples in a trade. They didn’t want to do a futures deal because they were intent on staying in playoff contention,” The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun wrote last week. “But now the Canucks have relented on that to some degree, knowing that Cup-contending teams don’t want to disrupt their core and Vancouver would do a futures deal if it made sense.”
Adding Miller to this Bruins team would give them an immediate lift, with the veteran forward a consistent scorer (70+ points in four seasons), physical forechecker, and strong presence in faceoffs (58.7 percent).
If the Bruins want to retool the roster while also remaining competitive during the prime years of players like David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, and Jeremy Swyaman, a player like Miller could give Boston a boost — while providing strong production for at least the next 3-4 seasons.
Boston would also need to move out NHL contracts in order to facilitate a deal, constituting a roster shakeup in and of itself.
Still, the Bruins would have to weigh whether or not taking on yet another veteran (and a lengthy contract) is worth it, or if stockpiling draft picks should be the top priority for this team at a crossroads.
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