Are the New York Rangers taking a risk reacquiring J.T. Miller from Canucks?

The Vancouver Canucks' domestic dispute between forwards Elias Petterson and J.T. Miller has finally come to an end. After reaching an all-time peak of locker room disagreement coupled with a less than stellar start to the season for the Canucks (they're on the outside looking into the Wild Card window right now), Miller and Petterson are now on separate coasts. The New York Rangers received Miller and defensemen Erik Brannstrom and Jackson Dorrington from the Canucks in exchange for forward Filip Chytil, defenseman Victor Mancini and a 1st-round pick in the 2025 Draft on Jan. 31 (that pick was sent later that evening to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a separate deal). A full trade breakdown here gets into the nitty gritty.

The Rangers though, is this a big risk for them?

Rangers' risk of re-acquiring J.T. Miller already paying off

They're also having an underwhelming 2024-25 season so far, still sitting outside a Wild Card spot in a crowded Eastern Conference race, but their mentality is clearly win-now. General manager Chris Drury has not been shy about sending assets to other teams, looking for the missing pieces to the puzzle that is the Rangers this season.

The Hockey News reported that the New York Rangers did their homework before re-signing J.T. Miller, so they could really feel confident in knowing what they get in him as a player (and personality). Miller started his NHL career playing in New York before getting traded to the Tampa Bay Lighting in 2018. He then went on to ink a long-term deal with the Canucks in 2019 and has now come full-circle back to New York, where he is nowhere near the same player he was at the start of his career. His last three seasons were the best of his career, hitting 103 points and becoming a first-time All-Star in 2024. He is a physical play-maker who is on the ice for almost 20 minutes a game, and he wears his heart on his sleeve (a contributing factor in his feud with Petterson). He tends to be in the right place at the right time on the ice, consistently contributing offensively (that is what the Rangers need).

Life is different in New York though, aggressiveness and strong personalities thrive. They no longer have a captain; Jacob Trouba was sent to the Anaheim Ducks earlier in the season. Locker room leadership can come from all different directions, and Miller brings a veteran presence to his new team. He is reunited with former Rangers teammates (Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider) and his best friend just happens to be forward Vincent Trocheck. This is a much needed jolt to a team that has had a nice January resurgence; it can align with the short-term win now goals of the Rangers. In just two games played Miller (vs. Boston Bruins and Vegas Golden Knights) has two goals, two assists, a +1, and zero penalty minutes; he's impacting the scoresheet immediately.

What's not risky is the concern over the locker room, I think the Rangers are a much better fit for Miller. I think what is risky is assuming his contract fully and taking that $8 million average annual value cap hit. He will also be 32 years old in March, so for long-term sustainability his age is not ideal.

But, none of that matters if there's success in the near-ish future.

I really love this move for the Rangers, so buckle up for the last third of the season, anything can happen!