The New York Rangers have a chance to pull off one of the most shocking trades of the off-season while also taking advantage of the Dylan Larkin trade market at the same time. If the Rangers could get their captain, J.T. Miller, to agree to it, they could look to trade him to the Minnesota Wild, who are in desperate need of a top-line center, and change the entire landscape of their offense.
Miller to the Wild would be the deal of the summer
Obviously, this scenario is very unlikely to happen. However, it is an interesting theory that the Rangers could capitalize on. With teams like the Wild looking all over for a top-line center, and the Detroit Red Wings and Larkin not finding middle ground on a new home. The Rangers could approach Miller and suggest the idea. If he agrees, he joins a Stanley Cup contender, which has a number of his USA gold medal teammates on it. He could be the last addition to put their organization over the edge and get them to the Stanley Cup Finals.
That is not to say that Miller is unhappy in New York. He clearly loves being a Ranger and the captain. He has been vocal about that. This idea is purely speculative. The trade would make a lot of sense, though. The Rangers have made the direction of their organization quite clear; they are retooling. They want to build around their younger players and restructure their roster. So, because of that, it could make sense to approach Miller with the trade and see if he would welcome a chance to win a Cup with the Wild.
The Wild have been linked to Larkin since the day that the news broke that he requested a trade out of Detroit. In theory, it makes sense; their biggest need is a top-line center. Outside of that hole within their roster, it’s stacked. However, the Wild aren’t exclusively looking to trade with the Wings for Larkin. They’d likely be open to any top-line center that makes their team better and wouldn’t cost them their entire future.
So naturally, Miller’s fit is perfect. He could step into the Wild’s organization, be the top-line center, score a ton of points, and, if he were lucky, win a Cup or two. Not to mention the return that the Rangers would likely get for Miller. It would likely include Danila Yurov, Charlie Stramel, and other future assets as well as draft picks. It could be a five-to-six-piece package for a 33-year-old Miller, who simply doesn’t fit with the Rangers’ timeline.
This is the type of trade that would leave the fanbase shocked, and because of that, it could very well not happen. However, if it does, it is a true telling that the Rangers are shifting from a retool to a rebuild.
