On the Jan. 28, 2025 episode of Sportsnet’s Real Kyper and Bourne, Nick Kypreos suggested an interesting trade proposal that he felt could make a ton of sense. It involved the Toronto Maple Leafs parting with defenseman Morgan Rielly in exchange for Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller.
Rielly has had a tough year with the Maple Leafs, and as a B.C. native, he may be willing to waive his no-movement clause. As for Miller, this season in Vancouver has been challenging due to the drama between him and Elias Pettersson. It looks like the Canucks may trade one or both of them, and while another Canadian team might not seem like the most logical landing spot for Miller, his fit with the Maple Leafs is intriguing.
Kyper’s Thoughts
In a purely hypothetical trade discussion, Kypreos had this to say:
“Would you not now knock on the door of Jimmy Rutherford and flip Morgan for J.T. Miller, who are roughly, I think, half a million dollars each off the salary cap? So that’s looked after. They’re both, I think, relatively the same age, and I think they both have relatively the same amount of years left on their contract, which is five years. Does that make the Leafs better?”
Obviously, this is purely hypothetical, given that both players have no-movement clauses. However, it is an interesting trade idea. Miller would make the Maple Leafs better offensively while bringing more intensity into their lineup. As for Rielly, he would help generate more offense from the blue line for the Canucks. But would this actually make the Maple Leafs better?
Does It Move the Needle for Either Team?
Simply put, no, it doesn’t. Yes, on paper, the Maple Leafs would be “better” because they’d be adding another 100-point forward. However, Miller has had issues in locker rooms before, and there’s always a risk of that carrying over. Additionally, trading Rielly would leave Toronto scrambling for another defenseman ahead of the March 7, 2025, NHL Trade Deadline, which could be a tough task. Not only would they be taking on a potential locker room risk, but they’d also be moving a key piece of their blue line.
Although Rielly has struggled this season, that doesn’t mean he won’t turn it around. If he can’t, that’s a conversation to have in the offseason, not mid-season. If Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving were to move him, they would need a backup plan to acquire another defenseman who can produce offensively and log big minutes—something that would be extremely difficult to do before the deadline.
As for Vancouver, it’s highly unlikely that Miller would waive his no-movement clause to join the Maple Leafs. Even if he did, they’d be losing a 100-point player for a defenseman who would play behind Quinn Hughes. Rielly isn’t able to play on the right side, so he’d be limited to his natural left-handed position. He also isn’t known for his defensive play, which is what teams typically look for in their second and third pairings. That said, he would bring more offense to a Canucks blue line that primarily relies on Hughes for scoring.
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The Canucks would likely be better off holding onto Miller and exploring trade options with teams that can offer more. Potential suitors such as the Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, or even the Columbus Blue Jackets could provide more value than a one-for-one swap involving Rielly.
At the end of the day, this trade just doesn’t make sense. While it may look appealing on paper, a deeper dive shows that both teams would essentially be swapping one problem for another. That’s not a move the Maple Leafs should be making, especially as they sit atop the Atlantic Division with what could be their best playoff path in years.
