OverDrive - Johnston on Miller's trade buzz, the Canucks searching for answers and Stolarz's injury timeline

Episode Date: January 20, 2025

TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston joined OverDrive to discuss the headlines around the NHL, J.T. Miller's trade buzz and the Canucks' fallout on the roster, Fraser Minten returning to the Maple Leafs, Anthony Stolarz's injury timeline, Morgan Rielly playing with Jake McCabe and more.

Introducing Brian Adams Radio on I Heart Radio. Hosted by Brian Adams himself. Join me for an insider look on a wild ride through 40 years of global rock and roll. Brian Adams Radio. Now available on the free I Heart Radio app. Or ask your smart speaker to play Brian Adams radio on iHeartRadio. I was ready to rock. I'm going to go, kids want to rock. Joining us here on the Maple Toto Hotline, here's our TSN hockey insider Chris Johnston. How close are we here to seeing JT Miller being dealt from Vancouver?

You know, that's a tough one to put a handle on. I mean, certainly, obviously, you know, talks got heated up over the weekend that there was some thought he might have to be pulled out of the lineup before Saturday's game. And, you know, I think that the hard part with trade talks is obviously Vancouver has been, you know, pretty involved, I think, for a while, and especially in the last 7, 10 days. It seems like the focus has largely been on, you know, moving Miller, finding a fit there, but, you know, there's only so many places

they can trade them, as you alluded to, with there's no movement clause, and they haven't quite gotten it across the finish line. But I mean, look, all things being equal, it's not been a nice stretch for the organization, for Miller personally, and I, you know, I do think that there's a hope to get something done, but that doesn't always guarantee you're going to find a

resolution and a trade that makes sense because as you guys are mentioning there I heard the intro I mean pretty darn good player you don't want to be giving them away and immediately regretting it. Yeah and Alvein came out today their GM and said obviously he believes they're a playoff team you know they were in the playoffs last year they won the division. Yeah. And not that I expected them to punt clearly but... But like Noodle said last week you're talking about or whoever said like a young defenseman or this is like are you still a playoff team if that's what you get back for JT Miller? Well that's the question though CJ like if the

what is poison this season is Miller or something of those that that along those lines, maybe it's irrelevant what you get back What's more important is you get something out of there? Yeah, but I do think that Canucks are prioritizing getting you know At least another four that can make an impact because you know taking this player out of the lineup Even when he's having an off year, I mean You know was was pretty effective. And then it went over Edmonton the other night and it's had some good games on the recent road trips when they came through the East coast.

And so, you know, I think that they, they do are, they're mindful of not wanting to weaken their, their lineup too much in the short term to make this, this move, even if it is to some degree viewed as a bit of addition by subtraction. Um, you know, obviously he logs big minutes for them, literally plays in all situations for the Canucks and put up 100 points plus points last year. So I think that they would be getting a forward back in whatever type of trade they make at minimum

and then we'll have to see what the other pieces line up as. But they want players, they don't just want Magic Bean. This isn't prospects and draft picks kind of deal. So CJ, can you see, like we just named a few teams in that, do you think there's a bigger market form or is it really just kind of resigned to just two or three teams because each controls his own fate and really how do you fit that contract structure heading you know, heading back the other way as well. It might have to be dollars in, dollars out type of thing as well. Yeah, that is certainly the challenge of doing a deal like this in season.

You know, you could, I think, widen the field, maybe even in terms of what JTMiller himself might consider in an off season, you know, when the prospect doesn't mean, hey, you're getting traded tomorrow and moving across the country with, you know, a young family and everything that he has. You know, I think that the teams though, there might be a couple more that you mentioned than what you mentioned. I know Dallas at least made a call there. I don't think that they're certainly the favorite. You know, Carolina has been involved with Vancouver both on Pedersen when it looked

like he might be available. And I think that they've been sniffing around Miller as well. And so, you know, I don't know that it's a two or three team race, but certainly the Rangers, it appears, have been the most motivated, I would say, of the teams. You know, they were having Miller talks with the Canucks, you know, at some point before Christmas and then, you know, they were the team over the weekend that it seemed at least like things were advancing beyond just tire kicking stages. So, you know, given all that's gone on in New York and, you know, I believe it is a place that Miller would be happy to return to

if it came to that and they could reach a deal. I mean, I do think that there's more than two or three teams, but this is a hard one to handicap because it kind of goes on again, off again, on again. You know, surely at some point or something's got to give and they've got to find a way, I think, to rip the band-aid off and allow everyone to move forward.

CJ, do we know what the crux of the issue is here? Like, does he not like Vancouver anymore? Does he hate Pedersen or are people tired of his act? Like, what exactly went down here where at the beginning of the season, we were like, can these guys, you know know bounce back and be a cup contender again and then now all of a sudden we're in January and it's like JT Miller's the way out the door yeah I mean my understanding this isn't driven by Miller at all I mean this is

the Canucks coming to him you know I don't think it's a case where he's not unhappy in Vancouver where he's tried to initiate a move I mean he's probably not happy with how public this has been and how, you know, he's getting questions about it. Obviously they hasn't been a good stretch here the last month, but, but, you know, a lot of that stems from the fact that he was having active trade discussions with his name attached to them. And, you know, it started to get out in the, in the public realm. But, you know,

I think the original story that we've talked about, there's definitely truth there that, you know, Miller think the original story that we've talked about, there's definitely truth there that Miller and Pedersen haven't saw eye to eye. I think it went on long enough that the Canucks were listening on both players and were wanting to consider their options. And now it seems that they're focused, at least for the time being, on trying to move Miller out of town just to, you know, maybe as a way to sort of ease that situation to change up the dynamic in the locker room. But you know, I don't think it's it should be viewed as this is all Miller's fault.

I think that it's there's a little more nuance there. And you know, really, even when you're talking about Pedersen, I mean, his his production, there's no way around it. It's not been what he's paid to do. I mean, basically, since he signed that deal last March, I think it was early March. No, he's he's all of a sudden went from, basically, since he signed that deal last March, I think it was early March, he's all of a sudden went from a guy who was a 100-point player to a 70-point player

after getting paid. And so I think that there's a lot going on around that team and Miller obviously is part of it, but he was a big part of the success they had last year too in some of the seasons prior. So I think that they've gone down this road because he is a marketable commodity. He's the older of the two players with between him and Patterson. And you know, they've sort of appear to have settled on this as,

as where they want to go. But I think it would be wrong for any of us to look at and say, this is all JT Miller's fault. I think there's a lot of blame to go around to sort of why the Canucks are where they are this season. With Chris Johnston or TSN Hockey Insider, Lease Lightning tonight, Fraser Minton will get back into the lineup. I guess Max Patshready's day to day with some sort of an injury. But

what I find interesting is Minton steps in, plays the middle of the ice. Pontus Holmberg will be second line center. They're moving Domi to the wing. What what is your read on that situation to borrow some of them yeah fraser mittens gonna play center and homeboys gonna play center and it sounds as if the only is gonna play second-line left wing uh... what do you make of actress

can't put it up here for max right i mean it there's there's no way around it uh... you know you said he's on fourteen games out of all the third year on a twenty two game bolus route you know even if around it. I think he's done 14 games now without a goal. He started the year on a 22-game goalish throughout. Even if he's primarily a playmaker, his point totals haven't been where they wanted to be. And I think they're trying to make life on him as easy as possible. It's obviously a little less defensive responsibility playing on the wing. So I don't know that it's just about Domi. I mean, playing on the wing. So, you know, I don't know that it's just about Domi. I mean, it's also a reflection of how well they feel about Fraser Minton. I mean, he's really, I think

he's taken a step forward in the organization's eyes this year. It wasn't an ideal start to his year, you know, having the injury right at the start of camp and missing all of the NHL camp, but with how he played in his first go-round with the Leafs and what he's done in the American Hockey League. I mean, I think this guy's likely to be a full-time member of the team next season and he's someone they trust now. And so that's kind of how we get to where we are, I think. But for Domi, this is a great opportunity, not necessarily about his line tonight, but in general with Tavares out, I have to feel that there's going to be more offensive type of rules for him because let's face it, the lines move around pretty routinely.

A week ago, we were talking about Steven Lorenz being on the top line. I think that there's going to be more than is there for Dome and he's got to get his game going because he's been underperforming through this first half of the season. You know Joseph Wall gets another start. He's really stabilized his game. He's been in a groove. And Anthony Stolar, what can you talk about? I thought I read that there was a definitive timeline or some form of a rough timeline for him to return. Can you talk about that and just maybe see where we're at? I haven't heard anything more definitive since we last spoke, but I'll tell you today I was down at the skate

and it looked like he was on the ice for a long time before his teammates were out there, but certainly was doing a lot. A lot of up and down, a lot of movement in the crease, which I see is progress from where he had been. So everything appears to be good for Stolarz. I mean, Wohl was tremendous, obviously, especially when the Leafs got a lead in Montreal and made some pretty acrobatic saves there on Saturday night. And there's been a little bit of debate internally about not wanting to use him too much, being mindful of where he's at, but he's told everyone around the league that he feels good. So he gets a fifth straight start tonight.

But I think that there is, it's always just with a little bit of caution because he's coming up on what will soon be his most number of appearances as an NHL player and we've obviously still got a lot of runway left on the season and you know it's it's important to go into the playoffs if they can with two healthy goalies they trust and the best case scenario for that would be Wolan Solars. Again based on what we saw at morning skate today they're shifting up the defense pairing as well Morgan Riley will play with Jake McCabe tonight which I think is appropriate because I thought Morgan really really struggled on Saturday night. I think he's he's the

the Max Domi equivalent on defense. He's got to give way more it just has not been good enough and they're they're moving Morgan around here. He's played with Ekman Larsen, he's played with Myers who they sat the other night. That's why Myers is coming out tonight. He's given a chance with Tanev. I think this is them throwing one more thing at the wall because McCabe's been so good. You know, Jake McCabe has been so good this year, but they're asking McCabe to play on his right side, which you know, if I'm Jake McCabe, you're a team guy, you're willing to do it, but aren't you looking around saying like, I gotta move over?

Like I'm having a great year with Tana playing the left side. Why do I have to move? Because Riley's not pulling his weight right now. That one doesn't make sense to me. I don't, listen, I get it because they gotta get Morgan Riley going. Like he's, he is really struggling. And he's capable of more. But if you're Jake McCabe, CJ, you're probably thinking, really? Like like I gotta I gotta shift to my offside now and be a little bit out of

sorts trying to prop this guy up at this point yeah I mean I think that's fair but you've hit the nail on the head I mean it's it's about trying to find the best mix of these guys and and you know with Morgan he's she has at times been you know it's I think some of his best stretches as a leaf have been when he's had a pretty reliable defensive partner beside him you know someone who kind of and maybe do some of the things he does and vice versa and and you know McCabe is kind of an unsung hero I think a little bit with this team you know doesn't get a ton of publicity necessarily but we even saw when he was out of the lineup here look for a brief couple games you

know after you know that that fight you know he he's really it when he was out of the lineup here to look for a brief couple games, you know after You know that that fight, you know, he he's he's really missed when he's not there. And so His defensive presence I think is just being used here to try to help morgan He has played a fair bit over the years on his offside. You know, I don't know how wild about it he is or not Um, but you know at this point the Leafs are They're trying a little bit everything with that blue line and some of it has been injury related But but you know performance factors into it too And you know I agree with you mean Morgan's Morgan's the horse on this blue line And and you know he's definitely got more to give than what we've seen this year in terms of his results

Yeah, for sure. What's your guess on McDavid and and his suspension? I'm trying leaning two games. You know, I think it's there's some, you know, we can draw a little bit of similarities to the Matthews cross check on Dullea in the outdoor game a few years ago. You know, obviously in that two players with no real history of crossing the line engaged in a battle, frustrated, whatever you call it. You know, so I think two games would be consistent with what we've seen a little bit in the past, but I'm always open to a surprise when it comes to the Department of Player

Safety. Yeah, that's true. You got to be on edge. All right, CJ. We'll leave it there. Thank you for doing this. All right, guys. Enjoy the game. You got it. Chris Johnston joining us from the Maple Toyota Hotline. Count on Maple Toyota for the right winter tire package for your Toyota. Trade in your old tires, buy a new set and get $40 back. Visit mapletoyota.com.