Does it still matter that Elias Pettersson and the Vancouver Canucks are facing J.T. Miller and the New York Rangers?
It’s been nearly two years since the Canucks traded Miller to the Rangers in the midst of their disastrous 2024-25 season. The trade came after months of rumours of a rift between Pettersson and Miller and other drama.
But does any of that matter anymore?
The Canucks have moved on and seem happy with the vibes of their “ego-less” locker room and the play of Pettersson, even as it looks like they’ll be losing a lot of games this year.
Miller has moved on, even showing a willingness to joke about the situation. He’s now the captain of the Rangers, who are off to a 4-2-0 start to the season.
With so many other players gone from the Canucks roster, it’s almost an entirely new team. Is there any bad blood left to be spilt?
Vancouver Canucks projected lines
According to The Athletic’s Thomas Drance, it looks like Aatu Räty will draw back into the Canucks lineup on Sunday afternoon in place of Arshdeep Bains.
Here are the Canucks’ projected lines, though they are subject to change as Sunday’s morning skate was optional for the players:
Jake DeBrusk – Elias Pettersson – Jonathan Lekkerimäki
Paul Cotter – Marco Rossi – Linus Karlsson
Liam Öhgren – Max Sasson – Brock Boeser
Drew O’Connor – Aatu Räty – Brendan Gallagher
Zeev Buium – Filip Hronek
Jamie Oleksiak – Tom Willander
Elias Pettersson – Luke Schenn
Kevin Lankinen
Leevi Meriläinen
The Canucks’ starting goaltender is expected to be Kevin Lankinen after Leevi Meriläinen got the start on Saturday.
Lankinen, bizarrely, got tagged with the loss in Saturday’s game, as he gave up what turned out to be the game-winning goal in five minutes of relief at the end of the first period when Meriläinen had a skate issue.
New York Rangers projected lines
Igor Shesterkin suffered a season-ending injury on Friday in the Rangers’ game to the Washington Capitals. That’s a devastating loss for the Rangers, who will have to adapt to playing without their Vezina-winning goaltender.
Here are the Ranger’s projected lines, courtesy of Colin Stephenson of Newsday Sports:
Gabe Perreault – Mika Zibanejad – Pavel Dorofeyev
Tye Kartye – J.T. Miller – Alexis Lafrenière
Will Cuylle – Noah Laba – Eeli Tolvanen
Oliver Bjorkstrand – Matt Rempe – Jaroslav Chmelar
Vladislav Gavrikov – Adam Fox
Marcus Pettersson – Sean Durzi
Alberts Smits – Braden Schneider
Dylan Garand
Spencer Martin
Alexis Lafrenière has been the Rangers’ best player to start the season, scoring four goals and six points through six games. While it’s early yet, it’s a nice payoff to the potential he showed that made him the first-overall pick in 2020.
The Rangers’ starting goaltender is expected to be Dylan Garand, who is the only option left since both Shesterkin and Joonas Korpisalo are injured. Former Canuck Spencer Martin, fresh off an injury himself, is expected to be the backup.