“To that same old place that you laughed about,” at least I hope JT Miller enjoyed it here the first time around. Friday night the Rangers re-acquired the talented center man as part of a doozy of a trade with the Canucks. The main the piece going the other way is Filip Chytil, a tough pill to swallow for a once promising Ranger career.

There are a lot of angles to this swap, as Miller the malcontent, forced Vancouver into this deal to begin with. Perhaps it makes sense for two teams mired in disappointing seasons to hook up on a deal like this, but that doesn’t make it easier to digest. We’ll get into both sides return in a moment and how it impacts the Rangers going forward, so let’s hit the ice below everyone!

What They Gave Up

Let’s tackle what the Rangers gave away first here. The most notable outgoing piece is Filip Chytil, who when healthy, was enjoying a solid season. While his production didn’t always match his play this year, his aggressive north/south speed did help the Rangers. At his worst he’d fall into similar traps as the rest of the roster by playing east to west, but as I said he was far from the outlier. The 2022-23 season was Chytil’s high water mark offensively with 22 goals and 23 assists while showing some real flashes of brilliance. Unfortunately his career has taken a turn as a result of several concussions, which now seem to reoccur at an increased rate. He’s just 25 years old so there is still plenty of room for growth which makes this move all the more difficult, but extracting good value for a player that is at severe re-injury risk feels like a win. I wish him well in Vancouver for sure…we’ll always have the 2022 playoffs!

Also heading to Vancouver is young d-man Victor Mancini. Mancini has made several cameo appearances this season for the Rangers, and showed some nice flashes of ability. The 22 year old stood out for his size, at 6’4”, 220 lbs, something the Rangers need more of throughout the roster. He certainly seems to have some upside, but how much? Probably not enough to keep him here, especially with Fox, Schneider and the newly extended Will Borgen here already on the right side. Mancini will be a real wait and see player in Vancouver for the next few years.

The final piece of the trade is the Rangers first round pick in this upcoming draft. Honestly this is my least favorite part of the trade, as the Rangers are giving away a pick that could be handy to have in the event they miss the playoffs. While it would probably still be in the 10-20 range, this feels like an early Glen Sather trade that left the cupboard bare in the past. The Rangers are on pace for 86 points, which would not get them in the dance, so this trade is really going to have to pay quick dividends to get them in the playoffs and soften the blow.

What they Got

Coming to the big apple is former Ranger JT Miller, who was traded seven years ago now in the wake of the infamous “letter” to Tampa Bay with Ryan McDonagh. Miller had some decent moments to that point in his career but of course in typical Ranger fashion, he blossomed elsewhere, while the return from the deal amounted to mostly nothing. Miller has become an offensive spark plug with 99, 82, and 103 points in the last three seasons. He also posted 12 points in 13 playoff games last year, helping the Canucks reach round 2. Perhaps the best stat of all for Miller is from an area where the Blueshirts struggle the most, even strength. In each of the last three seasons, he’s recorded over half his points at 5 v 5, including 61 last year out of his total 103.

But enough about stats, let’s talk about Miller the person, which is ultimately why he was dealt here. Miller has always been a hot head, and didn’t want to be in Vancouver anymore, for various reasons, so he decided to force his way to New York. He has reportedly been at odds with Canucks star Elias Pettersson, whom he has had it out with repeatedly. In some ways it feels like he was acquired because of his fiery personality more than his play, as Chris Drury continues to try and shake this team up. Whether that’s a good or bad thing remains to be seen, but it’s hard to deny that this team needs shake up because it has gotten very stale. Miller will be here for the long haul, signed through 2030, so buckle up Ranger fans.

Coming with Miller is Jackson Dorrington, who I have to say I know nothing about, and former 15th overall pick Erik Brannstrom. Brannstrom has bounced around as his career since being drafted by Vegas, when he was dealt to Ottawa for Mark Stone. After a few years on Ottawa’s blue line, Brannstrom moved onto Colorado and now Vancouver. The diminutive lefty has always had speed and skill but it seems his size has hampered his ability to stick in the league. New York could be on of his final chances in the NHL, so I’d say keep an eye on him down the stretch this season. It’s make or break for a once touted prospect.

The Outlook

So now what for the Rangers? If I asked that question this time a week ago, you’d have said “they’re going to the playoffs.” But it’s funny what two bad losses do to the vibes. Miller arrives with the team five points out of the playoffs, with an important back to back coming against Boston and Vegas and the international freeze looming. They’ll need to get hot again in a hurry if they’re going to make the playoffs, which seems to be what Chris Drury is aiming for right now. If they don’t, could he and Peter Laviolette both be gone? It feels possible.

On the whole I am fine with the trade for Miller, but I don’t believe it should hamper acquiring assets for expiring contract players on the team. That includes Ryan Lindgren and K’Andre Miller who I would still move at the upcoming trade deadline. JT Miller is a long term piece regardless of what happens this year, so with an eye towards next season in mind it’s time to continue the roster turn over, and if they make the playoffs anyway that’s just a bonus. One thing is for sure, the finish to this season will be anything but dull. LGR everyone!

On Twitter you can find Mike @Mike_Sheerin, Tyler @TMon_19 and Sean @SeanMartinNFL. Subscribe to the site by hitting the follow button in the bottom right corner and entering your email address. Check out our Instagram feed @thebroadwaybreakdownsports for special gameday and promotional content. Our podcasts are available on Spotify. Visit the Rangers Ed Shop by clicking the link on our homepage. Check out our mailbag page to join the conversation here on the site and on our partners show, The Rangers Ed Podcast! We’ll be back with more soon!