The timing of J.T. Miller's trade was a little bit odd. Miller was dealt from the Vancouver Canucks to the New York Rangers just a couple weeks before the 4 Nations Face-Off. Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin made clear that this upcoming tournament had nothing to do with the timing of the Miller trade.

Boeser has had the most success of his Canucks tenure when riding shotgun with Miller. Miller’s playmaking ability down low was an excellent fit with Boeser’s finishing ability from the inner slot. With Miller gone, the risk and uncertainty around committing a six- or seven-year contract to Boeser increases.

Michael Traikos of The Hockey News wasted no time in declaring Elias Pettersson the loser in the trade that sent J.T. Miller to the New York Rangers. But is that assessment fair?