Rutherford confirms Miller-Pettersson rift: No 'good solution'

Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford has lost faith in his ability to mend the strained relationship between star forwards J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson.

Rutherford told Globe and Mail columnist Gary Mason that attempts to repair the relationship have only proven to be successful in the short term. 

“...And I felt like for a long time that there was a solution here because everybody has worked on it, including the parties involved,” Rutherford said. “But it only gets resolved for a short period of time and then it festers again and so it certainly appears like there’s not a good solution that would keep this group together.”

Trade rumours have surrounded the Canucks, with the rift appearing to impact their on-ice results. The team is currently sitting outside the playoff picture in the Western Conference. Vancouver, one point back of the Calgary Flames for the final wild-card spot with a 22-17-10 record, won consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 1 with a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Monday.

It's been a significant drop-off for the franchise after starting the campaign 13-7-3 after finishing first in the Western Conference last season with a 50-23-9 record. 

Rutherford admits the long-term outlook for the team is likely to be impacted as the team explores trade options involving both Miller and Pettersson. 

“We’re talking about two of our top players,” Rutherford said. “Certainly, our two best forwards. It can really be tough on a franchise – not only present but into the future – when you’re planning on peaking this team into a contending team and then you find out that’s not going to happen. Or at least it’s not going to happen with the group we have now.

"Then you have to put together a new plan.”

"We’ll have to do the best we can in trades"

If the Canucks are to deal either Miller or Pettersson, the team will be parting a top-six centre. Replacing that piece directly is unlikely, meaning one move could lead to another as the Canucks look to fight for a playoff spot this season and beyond. 

"We’ll have to do the best we can in trades," Rutherford said. "Whatever assets you get in return, you may turn them into something else. And we have to work our way back into being a contending team."

The Canucks were reportedly close on a deal to send Miller to the New York Rangers earlier this month, but that trade never came to fruition.

TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun said last week on Insider Trading that a trade remains the most likely outcome to solve the rift in Vancouver, but there's no clear timeline for a deal. LeBrun pointed to the Carolina Hurricanes among the potential suitors for Miller before the team swung a three-team blockbuster deal to land Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche and Taylor Hall from the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.

"A couple of things that are important to note," LeBrun explained. "One is that Miller hasn't given the Canucks a list of teams that he would waive for, although in those conversations between his camp and the Canucks, there's a sense of the general parameters of the kind of team that would make sense. And yes, there are other teams other than the Rangers that have been in talks with the Vancouver Canucks.

"...The New Jersey Devils, the Rangers' rivals - they have also been a late entrant in this and they have held talks with the Canucks and J.T. Miller. I also think that internally, the Devils are trying to sort of suss out if it makes sense to go all-in on this or not at this point and where they are. The Dallas Stars, with all that cap money that they can spend with Tyler Seguin on the shelf. That's a team that a lot of people believe J.T. Miller might wait for. Will they make a pitch? So, there are other teams involved.

"But, one thing the Canucks have sort of changed their tune from when this started six or seven weeks ago - with talks on J.T. Miller - the Canucks said, we need apples for apples. We're trying to make the playoffs here. We don't want to do a futures deal. The Canucks have relented a bit on that. They would do a futures deal when it comes to making a deal with a contender, like a Carolina or a New Jersey, because they understand those teams don't want to trade away from their core. So, still to play out here. But the Canucks are telling teams 'we're not giving this guy away'. We'll see where it goes."

Miller, 31, has nine goals and 34 points in 39 games with the Canucks this season, having missed time due to a personal leave of absence earlier in the campaign.

Pettersson, 26, has 11 goals and 31 points in 41 games this season after posting 89 points last season and 102 points in 2022-23. He is the Canucks' highest-paid player, carrying a cap hit of $11.6 million through 2031-32. 

Miller is the team's second-highest paid player at a cap hit of $8 million and is signed through 2029-30 with a full no-move clause.