Report: Blockbuster Brewing Between Bruins & Canucks on Pettersson/Miller Front?

The Vancouver Canucks drama surrounding feuding star centers Elias Pettersson and JT Miller continues to make headlines around the NHL. It's now been revealed that the Boston Bruins have touched base with the Canucks in an attempt to get in on the action.

Bruins have entered the Petey/Miller chat 👀 pic.twitter.com/OM359PneQL
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Marco D'Amico of rg.org has confirmed contact between Bruins GM Don Sweeney and his Vancouver counterpart Patrik Allvin.

“They’re talking to them,” an NHL executive source told D'Amico.

Sweeney and several other GMs were seen scouting the Canucks’ AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks, when they were in Laval against the Rocket last week. (Pittsburgh and Utah bigwigs were also in attendance).

So which of the Vancouver centers are the Bruins targeting, the source was asked?

I don’t know who for sure, but I know the Bruins want to get deeper and younger up the middle and not older. That seems like Pettersson, but it’s not about who they want; it’s about who the Canucks decide to move on from.

What could the Bruins offer to make a blockbuster move for one of the Canucks' All-Star pivots? A D'Amico source with knowledge of the trade talks reports that the Canucks would want either a top-six center or a top-four defenseman in return, along with a top prospect or a first-round pick.

One of the sources suggested that it would take "(Mason) Lohrei or Matt Poitras on top of a player like (Trent) Frederic or (Pavel) Zacha."

Meanwhile, Scott McLaughlin of audacity.com figures that because the Bruins and Canucks are both right up against the cap, the salaries going in either direction would need to be very close. With Pettersson $11.6M and Miller earning $8M, the closest matches on a one-for-one would be Charlie McAvoy ($9.5M) and Elias Lindholm ($7.75M). Both those players have a full no-movement clause. Other options need to be considered.

"Would something like Hampus Lindholm, Zacha, and either Poitras or a first-round pick get them close on Pettersson? Maybe replace Zacha with Frederic or (Morgan) Geekie if we’re talking about Miller?", wonders McLaughlin.

Whichever way an offer is constructed, the Bruins would almost certainly be opening up a hole elsewhere on the roster to fill their 1C need.

This is something we'll be keeping an eye on as the Canucks continue their Pettersson/Miller Sweepstakes.