NHL Rumors: Vancouver Canucks, NY Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, and Pittsburgh Penguins

The Vancouver Canucks are not trading JT Miller

Patrick Johnston: JT Miller has taken a personal leave of absence from the Vancouver Canucks to help rehabilitate himself. Canucks president Jim Rutherford doesn't know when Miller is coming back and it's all up to Miller and whether he's mentally ready to come back.

Trade speculation has surfaced recently, but Rutherford shot that down.

“Don't start making excuses for someone in his situation. That is disrespectful. People who do this for fun, or for a living, just go back to making commercial rumours. “

“No, (we're not trading him),” Rutherford said bluntly. “We stand by him.”

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Mika Zibanejad could be another New York Ranger available

Marco D'Amico of RG.org: So everyone knows that New York Rangers forward Chris Kreider and defenseman Jacob Trouba are available, but the source added that forward Mika Zibanejad could be available for the right price and that the Western Conference has spoken to the Rangers about Zibanejad.

The 31-year-old Zibanejad has five years left on his $8.5 million contract.

The Montreal Canadiens seem unlikely to move Kirby Dach

Marc Dumont of Montreal Hockey Now: Elliotte Friedman wondered last week if Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach was someone the Pittsburgh Penguins might be interested in.

“Obviously Montreal has a lot of young players, there are more to come. But I'm sitting here wondering who else can point to Pittsburgh? I'm not saying they're talking to Montreal or anything like that, but I'm just saying, if you want guys Kyle Dubas can look at them and say “This is another one you've got to take. What can he learn from Malkin and Crosby?”, I can't help but wonder if Kirby Dach is that kind of guy.”

Friedman's manager Kyle Bukauskas notes that the Canadiens may not be looking to give up on the young player early. The Canadiens gave up the 13th overall pick and third overall to get Dach a few years ago.

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No one has said the Penguins are “interested” in him. If the Penguins offer a big package, which they currently have in 2025 at the top of the draft, it could attract the Canadiens. But that player may be years away from helping the Canadiens and it looks like a move that won't happen for the Habs.