On the day the NHL and NHLPA announced the salary cap bumps for the next three years, the Rangers swung a blockbuster trade to reacquire J.T. Miller from the Canucks. The news broke over an hour ago on Twitter/X when Frank Seravalli was first to report that Miller had waived his no-trade clause to go to New York.

When the two teams arrived at the deal, the Rangers sent Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, and a lottery protected top 13 first round pick to the Canucks in exchange for Miller, Erik Brannstrom, and prospect Jackson Dorrington.

As part of the agreement, the Canucks retain no salary on Miller’s existing contract that pays him $8 million on average through 2030. He will turn 32 on March 14. That means he passes the age requirement to be a New York Ranger. If you’re at least 30 years or older, you will fit right win.

Miller joins Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad as a trio of 31-year-old centers on the current roster. It should be fun to see how Peter Laviolette juggles this circus act. With it apparent that Chris Drury is so desperate to get this bunch of underachievers into the playoffs, there’s no price on the future. As flawed as they are, they’re all in on this season. Zibanejad still has yet to crack 10 goals. He has nine in 50 games while being paid top dollar as the team’s number one center. Those who’ve watched his decline know better. If he isn’t behind Miller and Trocheck when the Rangers play the remainder of their 32 games, something’s wrong. Zibanejad has no business being on the top power play unit. We’ll see what coach Lavy decides.

A year ago, Miller had a career season in Vancouver by pacing them in goals (37), finishing second in assists (66), and leading them in points (103), even strength points (61), and power-play points (40). Teamed with Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, and Brock Boeser, Miller played at a high level to help lead the Canucks to a 50-23-9 record with 109 points. After defeating the Predators in six games, they were eliminated in the second round by the Oilers in seven. They couldn’t quite get the better of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in a hard fought seven-game series. A third period rally just fell short against Edmonton, who eventually lost in the Stanley Cup to Florida.

In 2024-25, the Canucks have underperformed to fall out of a playoff spot in the West. With a rift between Miller and Pettersson proving to be an unnecessary distraction, they finally decided to pull the plug. Miller went from hearing his name chanted by the crowd in last year’s postseason to finally deciding it was time to move on. Both he and Pettersson had been rumored for a while. Eventually, it was Miller who accepted a trade to return to the Rangers after nearly seven years away.

He also took a personal leave of absence between mid-November and mid-December. After tallying eight assists in nine games after he returned, Miller has 11 points in January. Even with the Canucks posting their third straight win by defeating Nashville on Jan. 29, it became obvious that Miller would be the first player to go.

With Miller reporting to Dallas for tonight’s game, he was held out of the lineup due to trade discussions between the Canucks and Rangers. A rumored deal that originally had the Rangers offering Zibanejad was rejected by Vancouver. After coveting defenseman Braden Schneider, they settled on Mancini, who surprised many by making the roster and scoring his first career NHL goal. In 15 games with the Rangers, he recorded a goal and four assists while averaging 15:05 of ice time. How Drury reached this decision is puzzling. How did Mancini go from a camp surprise with a bright future to getting packaged with Chytil and a conditional first round pick for another aging player?

If there’s a sad part involving the deal, it’s saying goodbye to Chytil. It was back in 2017 that the Rangers selected him with the number 21 pick in the first round. A likable player with a good personality, the 25-year-old center never reached his ceiling on Broadway. Concussions and multiple injuries have curtailed his progress thus far. An explosive skater with a good shot and plenty of skill, Chytil has shown flashes during his career. It comes down to whether or not he can stay healthy long enough to find the consistency. In 41 games this season, he has 11 goals and nine assists for 20 points.

In 2022-23, he was a key player on the Rangers following the success he had with Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere as part of the Kid Line in the team’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals the previous season. Without their contributions, which included Chytil scoring seven goals and adding two helpers, they don’t get that far under former coach Gerard Gallant. No sequence was better than the one the trio combined on with Chytil finishing off a K’Andre Miller pass to highlight a Rangers’ 6-2 win in Game 1 over the Lightning in the Conference Finals on June 1, 2022.

The Rangers eventually lost the series to the Lightning in six games. The following season, Chytil established career bests in goals (22), assists (23), points (45), plus-minus (15), and games played (74). He was rewarded during the season with a contract extension. The $4.44 million cap hit remains affordable for the Canucks. It all hinges on whether or not Chytil can avoid the injury bug and produce consistently. Maybe moving to Vancouver will be the best thing for him.

Ironically, the Rangers’ most effective line at five-on-five this season was the one centered by Chytil before an upper-body injury sidelined him. Along with Will Cuylle and the now departed Kakko, they outscored opponents 13-2 via Natural Stat Trick. If only he didn’t miss some time. The chemistry was a bit off when they were reunited during a low point that led to Laviolette breaking it up. Kakko was soon a healthy scratch and dealt to the Kraken for Will Borgen, who’s since signed a five-year extension. Since the trade, Kakko has 15 points in 20 games with the Kraken.

For better or worse, this is who the Rangers are. They’re a frustrating organization who doesn’t have the patience to properly develop most young players. Somehow, Matt Rempe’s survived an eight-game suspension to fit into the lineup on the fourth line with Adam Edstrom and Sam Carrick.

Zac Jones didn’t survive Christmas. He was last seen on Dec. 23 in a lopsided loss to the Devils in which the so-called leaders no showed. Jones became the odd man out. Urho Vaakanainen has replaced him on the third pair with Schneider. Jones’ value is more diminished than Pete Alonso’s.

With 32 games remaining in the season, including a yawner against the Bruins on Saturday afternoon, can the Rangers turn it around and reach the postseason? If teams around them keep winning, there’s no guarantees. Based on how both the Senators and Blue Jackets have played, they look like the best of the teams the Rangers are competing with. Neither has great goaltending or a particularly strong defense. The Rangers’ biggest strength is in net due to Igor Shesterkin. The defense remains sketchy thanks to how lackadaisical the forwards are. Ex. Panarin, Artemi.

For a team with good skill, they don’t score consistently. I’ve documented Zibanejad’s issues. Trocheck’s been better, but his screw up cost them a potential tying goal in a 4-0 loss to the Hurricanes. It’s the veterans who continue to make the glaring mistakes. The younger players always pay for it. If yesterday’s practice was any indication, Jonny Brodzinski could replace Arthur Kaliyev in the lineup tomorrow. Make it make sense. Kaliyev’s the same age as Kakko. If you’re 24 or younger on the Rangers, you’re an endangered species.

Who will Miller play with? It better start with Chris Kreider, who’s had a season from hell. But his 15 goals still tie him with Trocheck for second best on the roster. He can’t play with Zibanejad anymore. Laviolette had been sticking with Cuylle and Reilly Smith.

Even if they somehow make the playoffs, what are they? Almost everyone has underperformed except the fourth line and Cuylle, who took a downturn last month. Can they seriously compete with an older roster against the likes of the Devils, Capitals or improved Hurricanes? The blue line remains unproductive aside from Adam Fox, who has to do the heavy lifting. They still lack a power play quarterback for the second unit. Jones remains the only option but he’s in purgatory.

Adding Miller could likely spell the end for Zibanejad soon. Kreider is likely going bye -bye in the off-season. Ryan Lindgren might have bought some time but it’s highly doubtful he’ll re-sign. Unless they lose enough games before the deadline in March, the Rangers will look to upgrade the roster.

I have my doubts about this being the right move. Once, a cocky Glen Sather doubled down by trading for Alexei Kovalev in 2002-03. He’s always been my favorite player. Hence. The Kovy274hart moniker for his career season in 2000-01. It was the wrong move the wrong time. In true Rangers’ fashion, they played Kovalev out of position and didn’t utilize him the right way on the point on the power play. It was a disaster. Over a year later, he was sent to the Canadiens for Jozef Balej. Of course, he rediscovered the game that made him successful in Montreal by becoming a fan favorite. Balej turned into scrub Fedor Fedorov.

It feels like it’s happening once again. Groundhog Day is around the corner. Cue ole Phil up.