Are the Canadiens Beginning a Scorched-Earth Rebuild? Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTg3NjIxOTQ4NjI3MzYzMDcx/jt-miller.jpg] It's been over a month since Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford installed Patrik Allvin as GM and Emile Castonguay as assistant GM. While their club continues to chase the final Western Conference wild-card berth, speculation persists over what moves they'll make leading up to the March 21 trade deadline. Forwards J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser and Conor Garland continue to figure prominently in the media trade chatter. Miller, 28, has frequently surfaced [https://thehockeynews.com/news/vancouver-canucks-could-shop-a-forward-or-two] in the rumor mill since November. The New York Post's Larry Brooks [https://nypost.com/2022/02/15/complex-rangers-equation-chris-drury-faces-at-nhl-trade-deadline/] called the Rangers' interest in the former Blueshirt “an open secret.” However, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reports [https://www.tsn.ca/insider-trading-have-the-canucks-decided-to-keep-j-t-miller-1.1761190] they're not in any hurry to move Miller, who's signed through 2022-23 with an annual average value of $5.25 million. It could take a significant offer to pry him away from the Canucks. Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli recently included [https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/seravalli-vancouver-canucks-brock-boeser-joins-trade-targets-%f0%9f%8e%af-board/] Boeser among his top trade targets. Cap Friendly indicates [https://www.capfriendly.com/players/brock-boeser] the 25-year-old right winger is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. It'll cost the Canucks $7.5 million to qualify him. Seravalli wondered if the New Jersey Devils could be a destination for Boeser. Meanwhile, NESN's Mike Cole believes [https://nesn.com/2022/02/should-conor-garland-be-on-bruins-nhl-trade-deadline-wish-list/] the Boston Bruins should target Garland to boost their struggling five-on-five offense. Rutherford and Allvin continue to stress they're in no hurry to move anybody. If they do, however, they could target young players rather than draft picks to ensure the club remains competitive next season. Sportsnet's Jeff Marek recently reported [https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/canucks-interest-acquiring-devils-forward-pavel-zacha/] the Canucks could have an interest in Devils forward Pavel Zacha. Like Boeser, the 24-year-old is an RFA [https://www.capfriendly.com/players/pavel-zacha] with arbitration rights but would only cost $3 million to qualify his rights. Perhaps a Boeser-for-Zacha swap is possible if the Devils include a draft pick or prospect.
