OverDrive - Johnston on Miller's deal to the Rangers, Pettersson's bigger role and the Maple Leafs aiming for a center

Episode Date: February 4, 2025

TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston joined OverDrive to discuss the latest headlines around the NHL, the Rangers' deal for J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson's role with the Canucks, the trade market in the NHL, the Maple Leafs searching for a center and more.

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You know, I get it. I mean, look, Buffalo's looking for something to rally around. That organization has been questioned in a lot of ways. I mean, I think in, in you're right today's game just is not, it's not the same sport that, that all played in or, or, you know, when noodles was in the league and just with the physicality specifically but you know I think Buffalo is looking to have a lunch bucket kind of team and that isn't a lunch bucket kind of response I think it's it's that simple it's about

quite honestly I think that message is a message to the fans I think it's about business you know more than anything that the team's business interests and you know obviously they've taken a lot of heat in that market I've've been following Mike Harrington, one of the columnists down there from afar and he's just been teeing off on them over this. I can understand why they're getting some heat I guess in that situation. Yeah. Well, that's the problem. In the market, everyone hates the team.

That's the reality. Everyone hates the team. They're looking for a reason to hate them even more. This would be an example of that, I guess. There was a lot of movement over the weekend. I guess we'll begin Friday night. JT Miller eventually ends up in New York. He had always been connected to the Rangers. It always felt somewhat like a foregone conclusion. That's where he would end up. They get Hedl, a young defenseman, and a pick that's protected. Did Vancouver get enough here, in your opinion,

or did they back themselves into such a corner that it just wasn't possible for them to get a lot? Yeah, I think it's more the latter there. I mean, when you're trading a player who had 100 hundred point season last year, and you look at that return, like if you just were to take those two facts, I mean, it's hard to argue they got enough in this trade. But, you know, we've all seen what's happened over the last six, seven, eight weeks in that market. With that team, I mean, they're not in a playoff spot right now. And, you know, it's that you know everything that's gone on there behind the scenes and you know I can't profess to even know the half of it but you know we know enough to know that it hasn't been very pretty is you know really taking a toll on everybody and so I think ultimately the Canucks just got to a spot where they felt they needed to to make a deal for Miller you know the Rangers was a place you know

this was a player of the Full Moon movement closet that he was comfortable going. The Rangers have been interested, as you mentioned, in really going back years Chris Jury has an interest in bringing JT Miller back to New York. This season there's been a couple previous attempts to get the deal done. Ultimately, I think from Vancouver's end, the fact they get that first round pick and they're able to parlay it into some other players and, you know, they didn't have to retain any salary was enough that they felt that they had to move. I mean, but clearly Vancouver's banking on some addition by subtraction here. Guess what the next element is going to be if you say, hey, what's Vancouver going to do next?

I think they're out there looking for a center, because even though they got one in Filipino, I mean, that's another player, of course, even even in the short term that's replacing JT Miller in the lineup So CJ do you the ranting in trade Craig Conroy makes some moves and now the JT Miller Do you sense that it's just the dominoes have fallen now and all hell's gonna break loose before the four nations I? Mean it feels like all hell has broke broken loose already I mean we've had some pretty big moves here before the four nations i mean it feels like all hell has broken loose already meet we've had some pretty big moves here you know and they're not all sort of traditional deadline moves me obviously

the shark strain on the weekend that's uh... with with the stars at the traditional deadline move a good team is is loading up trading a first round picking getting some some rental players in the lineup but you know a lot of the other trade you saw uh... like that the flames fliers new more j t miller now rattan i mean this is a lot of the other trades you saw like that, the flames, flyers, move or JT Miller, you know, red tin. I mean, there's, there's a lot of layers to that onion and, and, you know, I'd

been hearing that there would be almost like two kind of trade deadlines this year, you know, that the period before the four nations and then obviously the two weeks after leading into the actual deadline and that, you know, that ended up kind of coming true. And so, you know, we'll see if there's a bit more action this week. I certainly think by the time we get to that Four Nations break, we're less likely to see trades basically for the 10, 12 days of that tournament.

And then it's going to be a sprint to March 7 when we get on the other side of it. CJ, circling back on the JT Miller situation in Vancouver, what do you think their current, like what do you think their current opinion of Pedersen is? Because they've got until July 1st and then I believe the no movement clause kicks in or whatever, no trade. Like after that, he's staying in van or wherever he wants to stay. So where do you think their assessment of him is right now?

Well, they're not happy with him. You know, it's you pay the player that the kind of contract they gave him last March and you know, his production is has fallen off a cliff. And so, you know, I think the Canucks are going to be somewhat patient here, you know, let him try to find, you know, the level of play that basically earned on that contract But you know, I don't know how long that that patience will extend I mean certainly this is a team trying to get into the playoffs now And they expect Pederson to be a front line top of the lineup guy for them to help drive that now He hasn't been that player this season I don't know how reasonable it is to expect him just to flip a switch now that JT Miller

the season. I don't know how reasonable it is to expect them just to flip a switch now that JT Miller is no longer sharing a work environment with them. But it's fair to say that Canucks have been disappointed with Pedersen, with his level of performance this year. And they're hoping that this is something that can energize them. Because ultimately they went at least far enough down the road with multiple teams to have multiple discussions on a Pedersen deal. I mean, at one point there was a decision, is it Pedersen or Miller that's being traded? Ultimately, they kept the younger player, also the higher ceiling player, maybe certainly the higher paid player.

And so, you know, he's going to have to start performing at some point, or we might be talking about him being traded out of town. But I don't think that'll be in the near term all i think really they're gonna she we can give them here over the balance of the season and reassess when we get to that towards summer well how complicated could that be at ideal featuring peterson with the amount of money is making

and you know it's called called as we see it is just a reality last twelve months but a disaster for the guy. He's not playing anywhere close to his contract value. Somebody thinks they can turn him around though, Hazy. Yeah, I guess. I mean, it just seems like it'd be complicated to how many teams would be willing to take

him on. I know the cap's going up. But I think there's more pressure on him than maybe any other individual player in the league right now, CJ, to prove his worth. He's the highest paid player on the team and he's got to be responsible for getting that team back on the right track. And if he doesn't do it, I could see Vancouver trying to flip him. For sure. I mean, I think that's all fair. Your assessment there of him bearing that pressure. I mean, he's on like a 60 point pace right now,

for a guy among the top paid forwards in the league, someone who has previously had 100 point seasons and consistently anyway been sort of a 90 point type of score to earn that deal. And the issue with Pedersen, I think, is just like, if you're trading him, what are you getting back? I mean if you trade JT Miller for not quite equal value Which we believe they already did and then you know, you're trading Patterson and under these circumstances

I mean, I can't imagine the return looking too good. You're only a couple years away from Quinn Hughes being out of a contract I mean the Canucks don't want to go into a rebuild what they did is is they made a bet on this core and it's blown up in their faces. I mean, they thought a team with JT Miller, Patterson, you know, Quinn Hughes at the center of it, you know, getting paid the frontline money, you know, in addition to Demko and some of the other players that have the organization was good enough to, you know, eventually maybe win a cup.

And obviously last year it was good enough for them to win their division, to get deep in the the second round have a chance to eliminate the Oilers you know fail to do that but you know now I don't know where they're gonna turn I think clearly the best solution is hoping this this changes because you know this this is not a good situation when you have a 60-point guy at Pedersen's age and stage of his career you know make it 11.6 million on a cap I mean it's just not the right time to trade him and get value back. With Chris at Pedersen's age and stage of his career, make it $11.6 million on a cap. It's just not the right time to trade him and get value back.

With Chris Johnston, our TSN Hockey Insider, so we were breaking here on CP2 for $10.50 that I guess the tariffs have been delayed for 30 days, CJ, and maybe that means the booing will stop for the national anthems being played you know on by disposed of the border moving forward but uh... what is your understanding of how committed the league is to playing the national anthems you know it has there ever been any thought or discussion to just get about of the sport and previously heard any real discussion that way i mean obviously

you hear a product from time to time among fans or maybe in this environment, but in terms of anyone with the power to make that decision, like I've never even heard that really debated behind the scenes. It didn't seem like the NHL was too concerned about the few cases we had over the weekend where this happened in Canadian arenas. I think there was going to be a lot of focus, and probably still be a lot of focus on the Four Nations tournament, which is going next week. And you've got that Saturday game, February 15th, Canada, US, could be one where it crops up. I don't know if this tariff news tonight will change that in terms of how fans are feeling. But I suppose if this got big enough, the debate and the conversation has to happen.

Really in my time around the league, which has been a pretty long time at this point, I've never heard any meaningful push to get rid of anthems. Obviously, I had an international tournament like the one that starts next week. Buying the anthem is a big part of that and I expect that to continue. Well, exactly. It is obviously separate with international tournaments and all that, yet it's been a part of the sporting landscape my whole life. Like I've never...

You get any sporting event, it's natural. It comes with the whole program and the whole experience. Leaves in Calgary tomorrow. I guess Mitch Marner didn't skate today, uncertain if he'll play tomorrow. Do you have any understanding of what's going on with him? No I don't have any clarity on what he's dealing with I mean obviously you get the stage of the season and a lot of guys are weathering a lot of sort of different injuries but you know it's certainly based on practice there it looked like there's a chance he misses

that game and you know I don't know on this program which which may believe we're more concerned about but obviously something hockey can do we'll have to keep an eye on you know if Mitch Marner is out and injured because he's a big part of what they're expecting at the Four Nations but you know the fact you finished the game in Edmonton you know I've not heard anything that that suggests this is a major issue certainly the Leafs and Craig Borubey today didn't seem to be playing it up too much. So wish I had a little bit more for you in terms of something tangible, but it does seem like more of a minor body maintenance kind of issue than something that's hitting the alarm bells.

So have you heard any rumblings behind the scenes? You even don't have to name the player, but of any other players on the fence to maybe withdrawal from the four nations faced off base based on either their age or maybe being nicked up uh... you know what are we a week and a half away from it type of thing i have not known i mean even out the trend low i think that there was an ongoing discussion there you know even you know that would be an after basically week or eight days ago

that that he was out for Canada. But I don't think that that took the Canadian team by surprise. I mean, if anything, it seems like players are trying to get back to play. I mean, you've had Jonas Brodin, who's meant to play for the Swedish team has been out of Minnesota lineup for a while. He's open to get back in here this week and, and playing that tournament. I think, you know, the Transyl situation was unique. You know, if anything, quite honestly, it seems like the players really want to get

there if they absolutely can. And so, you know, I think any other new names that, you know, crop up in the next week or so that end up being out of that tournament will just be because their injuries or their physical situation doesn't allow the guys to go because, you know, certainly for the younger players in the league, as much as the rest of us are thinking what is this tournament there's no history it's limited field all those things you know I do think a lot of the players say 30 and down which is most of the tournament when you look at the rosters I mean these guys are pretty anxious to play for their countries.

In terms of you know the trades that are happening we haven't even mentioned the Grandland and CC deal going to Dallas over the weekend. With the Maple Leafs, it seems like there's so much focus on third line center, third line center, third line center. Is that still your understanding, CJ? If so, they like a third line center. They love a third line center up here. How would you handicap the chances that they actually acquired that piece

well i i think it's still pretty likely and certainly that seems to be the focus of the organization i think they'd like to get it and defensemen you know sort of that's clear at minimum uh... as well you know it's sometime before march seven to meet the issue for teams like the leasing it's not just them

they don't fully know who's available. I mean, Dallas was the rare sort of, you know, team in a situation like the Leafs where they went out and made their deal now. That's purely driven by the fact they have a whole bunch of injuries. Miro Heisken ends out, they lost Neil Lundquist for the season, Mason Marshman's been out of their lineup, Sagan's already done for the regular season. So Jim Dale just elected to, you know, take one of the sure things. Obviously San Jose is one of the few true sellers in the league and get Michael Grandlin and get Cody Cece in there now. Most teams, whether it's at the top of the standings or in a position that are operating like the Leafs, they don't yet know what the trademark looks like. There's so much, there's just a lack of separation there.

And I think, you know, the sense I'm getting from teams like the leases, they're trying to sort out who's actually available, what are we choosing between, you know, when you're making that decision, say for a third line center, you know, you want to make it understanding exactly what the options are. And so, you know, the truth is, I don't think those trades will happen until some point after four nations. And I think that's where a lot of the traditional buyers and sellers will

get their business done is at the end of February and that first week of March. Yeah, and then I guess the follow up is how comfortable they are with giving up assets which is a discussion we have every year with this team because for nine years now it's been first round pick this, first round pick that, second round pick, third round pick, they don't have many picks and you know they've got Minton, they've got Cowan, I'm sure there's other prospects who other teams would have their eye on but how comfortable do you think the Maple Leafs are in being all in quote unquote this season? It feels like they have to be quite honestly. I mean, just given the uncertainty about, you know, where Mitch Marner's

contract's going to be at or how that situation is going to resolve itself. I mean, there's a lot of big, you know, question marks about this organization's direction, I'd say beyond this season, just, just how you even got John Tavarez, who's obviously still an important offensive contributor for the Leafs at this stage. And you got this rising cap. I mean, that's a big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, you even got John Tavaras, who's obviously still an important offensive contributor for the Leafs at this stage. And you got this rising cap. I think around the league, there's probably less certainty pretty much for every team,

just because finally the cap is going to be supercharged, but players are going to have different expectations in terms of what they're paid with that. And so with the league kind of being wide open this season too, I just think at all points to a year where the Leafs have to go in aggressively, I think that's their mindset. We'll see what, you know, what limitations they end up having with the salary cap, which obviously, you know, in the very near term in terms of making deals

before March 7th, we'll have a say. But I think you just, you put those assets on the table and you live with the fallout. As you mentioned, they don't even have a first round pick this year. So if they end up trading it first, it's likely going to be their 2026 pick. That's how teams try to go for it year after year after year typically operate. That's what I expect from the Leafs. Alright CJ, we'll leave it there. Thank you for doing this. Alright boys, have a good night.

Chris Johnston, our TSN Hockey Insider.