Only one thing can change Canucks’ minds on trading J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson

On Tuesday, Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford spoke candidly with Gary Mason of the “Globe and Mail” about the team’s struggles this season and openly admitted that a locker room feud between stars Elias Pettersson and JT Miller has fractured the club.

“and I felt like for a long time that there was a solution here because everybody has worked on it, including the parties involved,” said Rutherford. “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.”

He added: “When you don’t have chemistry, it’s hard to be that consistent team because there’s too much going on in the room for everybody to concentrate on what they’re supposed to do.”

Within minutes of the interview getting out, fans and pundits were going crazy about Rutherford’s comments and the trade rumours only heating up, however, Mason posted additional quotes from the team’s president.

Mason did asked Rutherford if something could change prior to the March 7 trade deadline and the team’s president admitted that there is one thing that could save the Canucks and change their minds about trading Miller and / or Pettersson.

Rutherford believes that the team always feels better when they rack up points and get some wins, and believes that if the Canucks are successful, it could change the dynamics in the dressing room and allow for a fresh start.

However, time is running out, especially since it has been reportedly how the Canucks have come very close to completing trades for both Pettersson and Miller. Earlier this month, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed that a transaction almost took place but fell apart, which would have apparently sent Miller to the New York Rangers. Forward Filip Chytil, defenseman Ryan Lindgren, and a first-round pick were reportedly part of the package that Rangers general manager Chris Drury had offered Vancouver before the trade was called off.

As of now, it looks more and more like the Canucks are preparing for life without Pettersson and Miller. But let’s see what happens if Vancouver keeps winning.