The New York Rangers may have gotten the final piece of their playoff puzzle. In a blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks, J.T. Miller is coming back to New York.
There is a lot to say about this season, and as high and as low as this team has been this season, it sure has been wild. And now, it is only going to get even more fun with the return of a player who was drafted by the Rangers in the first round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
Per @NYP_Brooksie, the Rangers will receive Erik Brannstrom and Jackson Dorrington in addition to J.T. Miller from the Canucks.
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) February 1, 2025
The Rangers send Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini and a protect first-round pick https://t.co/9JaHa1d6Sc pic.twitter.com/5VNYa6r7xR
Let's talk about how the Rangers will reap the benefits of this big trade.
Big upgrade down the middle
While the Rangers gained J.T. Miller, they did lose someone who was drafted and groomed to be this franchise's 1C of the future. Filip Chytil was sent back over to Vancouver.
The Rangers are now exceptionally great down the middle of the ice with Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck. Even though all three are in their 30s, what's important to remember is that these three are still at the top of their game. Each could be 70+, 80+, and even 90+ point scorers.
Initially, Zibanejad was supposed to be the main prize for this trade. Instead, it was Chytil.
Final piece to the puzzle
The Rangers may have finally found the final piece to the playoff puzzle. They currently have a record of 24-22-4 for 52 points and sit within five points of the final wildcard spot, Columbus with 57 points. Picking up Miller, who has nine goals and 26 assists for 35 points this season, is going to catapult the Rangers into the postseason.
Well, that's the plan anyway.
Of all the Rangers problems this season, consistency has been near the top, if not the top, of the list. This season has been a roller coaster, when one position group excels, another group starts to fail. Now, having a strong group in the center of the ice, might tidy up this team to being one strong, united, unit.
Elite Talent
Miller, after leaving the Rangers to go to Tampa Bay, and then onto Vancouver, has become an elite talent. There is no denying that a change of scenery helped him back in the 2017-18 season, and it helped him when he moved out to western Canada. The move back home, the full-circle moment, may turn him into the most valuable member of this team.
Losing Chytil is going to dissatisfy the Rangers fanbase, but in due time, the hope is that it will be for the better. Chytil himself can benefit from the change of scenery, even though the Rangers front office was very lenient in letting him take his time to fully return from his head injuries over the past few seasons. As great as Chytil was, Miller has shown more consistency and better numbers by a wide margin.
Do you think the Rangers will benefit from this trade?