The Vancouver Canucks have made it clear, ‘there’s no good solution’ to keeping J.T Miller on the team after the NHL’s trade deadline on March 7. This begs a couple of questions. Should the Toronto Maple Leafs get involved in trade talks with the Canucks? And, should GM Brad Treliving consider moving defenceman Morgan Rielly in the deal?

First things first, let’s circle in on Miller in Vancouver. Canucks’ president Jim Rutherford recently admitted trade talks are ongoing around the 31-year-old versatile forward. There have been some issues with a rift with teammate Elias Pettersson on and off the ice, and at this point, despite a 23-17-10 record, there are major changes on the way for the Canucks ahead of the trade deadline.

“I felt like for a long time that there was a solution here because everybody has worked on it, including the parties involved,” Rutherford told Gary Mason of The Globe and Mail. “But it only gets resolved for a short period of time and then it festers again and so it certainly appears like there’s not a good solution that would keep this group together. We’ve had those conversations and I think the parties understand that and I think they’ve tried. As you know, sometimes emotions get deep and as much as people try sometimes you can’t get over it. It certainly appears that’s what’s going on here.”

Miller’s days with the Canucks are numbered. Rutherford is ready to move him, and considering the Canucks’ lack of depth on their blueline, they should have some interest in Rielly from the Maple Leafs. It just won’t be that easy.

Both players have no-movement clauses (NMC) and would be heavily involved in the trade discussions, however, with Toronto having a legit shot at winning the Stanley Cup, and with British Columbia being ‘home’ for Rielly, perhaps there’s a possibility that both players would be willing to waive their NMC’s to facilitate the deal. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has stated that Miller prefers Eastern United States as his landing spot, with the potential of the New Jersey Devils being the team to beat in trade talks.

Much like the Devils, the Maple Leafs could use Miller, to say the very least. They’ve been in the market for a middle-six centre for the past few weeks, and he’d fit in perfectly behind Auston Matthews and ahead of John Tavares. Miller has appeared in 40 games this season, scoring nine goals, and 35 points. His game is much more than just offence, as he’s also landed 92 hits, is close to 60% in the faceoff circle, and can easily slide over the wing if needed. Miller’s coming off a 103-point season, he’s been a point-a-game player throughout his last 20 Stanley Cup Playoff games, and he certainly brings some intensity on the ice with his fiery spirit. The Leafs could use more intensity in the postseason and Miller certainly cranks it up in spades.

Yes, Rielly is struggling so far this season, collecting just 22 points through his first 51 games. However, if Treliving does consider moving the veteran defenceman, he must ponder the impact on the Maple Leafs dressing room. Head coach Craig Berube admitted he’s noticed Rielly’s struggles of late, but put it on the coaching staff to help him turn it around.

This team is a very tight-knit group, with Rielly a ‘glue guy’ who helps keep things even keel when times are good, and when times are bad. He’s been through it all since being selected fifth-0verall at the 2012 NHL Draft, and trading him could legitimately send shockwaves through the Maple Leafs dressing room, a team that is just one point behind the Florida Panthers for first in the Atlantic Division.

There’s also the other side of the coin here, which is adding the personality of Miller to Toronto’s dressing room and the media circus that ensues. What if he struggles out of the gate? How long before the fan base would pile on?

This isn’t the first time Miller’s been in the news about chemistry issues, so is all this hoopla even something Treliving wants to get involved with? Is it worth it? Shaking up the dressing room is one thing, but adding someone who has a history of being hard on teammates is another. There are many elements to ponder for the Maple Leafs’ brass, which also include the 21 minutes per game Rielly plays on Toronto’s blueline, and how exactly the team would replace them.

It doesn’t feel like Rielly for Miller straight up would be enough to get Rutherford and GM Patrik Allvin to bite, so perhaps a player like Nick Robertson would be involved, to give the young forward a change of scenery, and give the Canucks another winger for their top nine. Adding Robertson and his $875,000 would give the Maple Leafs an added $375,000 to work with in cap space. Hey, every little bit helps when you’re constantly pushing pennies to stay under the cap.

There’s no doubt Rielly is struggling this season, and there’s very little doubt that Miller is getting dealt from Vancouver. These two teams align perfectly as trade partners. Separate conferences, comparable salaries, both filling needs, it just all comes down to what both players want for their future.

Miller seems like the type of player who would excel under Berube, meanwhile, seeing a Leafs’ legend leave for the Canucks is something Leafs Nation has been through before.