Miller Trade Fiasco and Other Trades That Fell Apart at the Last Minute

There have been times in the NHL where deals were almost done, but fell apart in the final moments.

The New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks were working on a trade this past week, according to several sources. The deal ultimately fell through just as the Canucks were thinking about pulling Miller from the lineup. While that trade might ultimately still take place, it sounds like nothing is imminent.

Trades don’t get much closer than that, but there have been times in the past where two teams got close.

J.T. Miller to the Rangers

Reports from Elliotte Friedman and the New York Post’s Larry Brooks both suggested a deal between the Rangers and Canucks got close. The two sides were engaged in serious talks as Friedman reported a trade was being worked on, and Miller almost sat pending the finalization of a deal.

As for who was included in the trade, the reports range from Mika Zibanejad to Alexis Lafrenière and Braden Schneider being part of the discussions. The latest news suggested a Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, and a first-rounder was on the table.

Could J.T. Miller go back to the New York Rangers?

As for why a trade hasn’t happened yet, that’s not entirely clear. All we know now is that other teams are in the mix, with the Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, Dallas Stars and others inquiring.

Eric Lindros Traded Twice

The Quebec Nordiques had agreed to trade Lindros to the Flyers the morning of the draft, only to change their minds when the Rangers made what they thought was a better offer. The NHL had to bring in an arbitrator to ultimately decide who would get the future superstar.

The Flyers did wind up getting the player, so the Rangers didn’t get their guy. In the end, the Flyers gave up Peter Forsberg (the No. 6 overall pick in the Lindros draft), Steve Duschene, Kerry Huffman, Mike Ricci, Ron Hextall, Chris Simon, Philadelphia’s first-round draft picks in 1993 and 1994 and $15 million in cash.

Glen Sather Confirmed a Near-Trade for Steven Stamkos

New York Rangers former GM Glen Sather confirmed years ago that the Rangers nearly acquired Steven Stamkos during his rookie season in 2008-09. Back in 2010, Larry Brooks wrote that Sather recounted how a handshake agreement with then-Lightning co-owner Len Barrie almost brought Stamkos to New York.

Stamkos was the first-overall pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. He was heavily touted in Tampa prior to the draft as the big pick the organization was going to make and they believed was a massive get. They selected him, but he struggled when he first started playing NHL games, recording just two goals and five assists in his first 21 contests.

Fearing they might have made a mistake, Tampa Bay’s ownership talked about a trade and Sather, always the opportunist, was ready to pounce.

Sather said the Rangers almost got Stamkos for a package including players like Michael Del Zotto, Ryan Callahan, and Brandon Dubinsky. When Barrie failed to get his co-owner Oren Koules to sign off on the trade, and Lightning GM Brian Lawton wanted nothing to do with it, the deal fell apart.

Sather said, “We shook hands on it. That’s how close.”

Iginla Was Supposed to go to Boston, Ended Up in Pittsburgh