‘Not a good solution’ for Miller-Pettersson rift

Vancouver Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford doesn’t see any way to keep J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson happy together as teammates.

In an interview with the Globe and Mail‘s Gary Mason published Tuesday, Rutherford said he doesn’t think this group can stay intact.

“… I felt like for a long time that there was a solution here because everybody has worked on it, including the parties involved,” Rutherford told Mason.

“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.”

The soap-opera-like story — a reported rift between the two star forwards — has been dominating the headlines in Vancouver for months.

The Canucks are believed to have explored trade possibilities. One of the latest reports, from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman this past weekend, said the Buffalo Sabres have held talks with the Canucks about Pettersson.

Rutherford told Mason he has held talks with both players to try to get them to see if they could co-exist for the good of the team.

“We’ve had those conversations and I think the parties understand that and I think they’ve tried,” Rutherford said. “As you know, sometimes emotions get deep and as much as people try sometimes you can’t get over it. It certainly appears that’s what’s going on here.”

Rutherford admitted it is not a good situation for the franchise, just one season after the Canucks won the Pacific Division and advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Carolina Hurricanes’ blockbuster trade for Mikko Rantanen last week may have made things more challenging for the Canucks. Carolina was believed to be a strong contender for one of the two top Vancouver forwards.

“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.”

The Canucks (22-17-10) have struggled to string wins — or even solid periods — together. The team sits one point below the Calgary Flames, who hold the Western Conference’s second wild card spot. 

“When you don’t have chemistry, it’s hard to be that consistent team because there’s too much going on in the room for everybody to concentrate on what they’re supposed to do,” Rutherford said.

Both Miller and Pettersson have lacked their usual offensive prowess this year. 

After putting up a career-high 103 points in the 2023-24 campaign, Miller has amassed nine goals and 34 points in 39 games.

The 31-year-old American missed 10 games in November and early December after stepping away from the team for personal reasons. 

Expectations for Pettersson were high this fall after he signed an eight-year, $92.8-million contract last March. 

The 26-year-old Swedish centre missed six games in late December and early January as he dealt with an undisclosed injury. He has 11 goals and 31 points in 43 appearances. 

Rutherford acknowledged that crafting a deal involving either player ahead of the league’s March 7 trade deadline will be difficult because Vancouver is unlikely to get a player of the same calibre in return. 

If the Canucks do opt to make a move, they’ll need to get another centre in return, plus “extra things” that could be used in the future, the president said.

“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.”

–With files from The Canadian Press