Rumor: Golden Knights player being linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Golden Knight has fallen out of favor.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 4 years ago
Rumor: Golden Knights player being linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Aaron Lavinsky/TNS/Zuma

It appears that the Las Vegas Golden Knights do not see one of their current players as a part of their long term future. That would not be a problem but except for the fact that he currently has a long term contract that will require a trade or a buyout if the Hurricanes wish to get out from under it. 

In the summer of 2018 the Las Vegas Golden Knights signed veteran defenseman Colin Miller to a fairly significant contract that would see him earn a whopping $15.5 million over the course of his next 4 seasons in the National Hockey League. In spite of the faith that they showed in Miller, who was acquired as part of the expansion draft that ushered the Las Vegas Golden Knights into the National Hockey League, it now appears that the Golden Knights feel that was a mistake. This is rather difficult for the Golden Knights as he has just played 1 of the 4 seasons on his current deal, and making matters even worse is the fact that he will have limited trade protection kicking in on his current deal once he completes the 2019 - 2020 NHL season.

This of course means that the clock is ticking on the Golden Knights if a trade is something that they wish to pursue and this week TSN insider Bob McKenzie indicated during a radio interview that this was indeed likely to be the path they would go down. McKenzie was a guest on Leafs Lunch when he confirmed that Miller fell out out of favor with Las Vegas Golden Knights head coach Gerard Gallant. This of course came as little surprise to anyone who watched the Golden Knights in the playoffs as Miller was repeatedly made a healthy scratch by his head coach in spite of counting for nearly $4 million per season against the cap. 

McKenzie also added that Miller's inconsistent play and his penchant for making poor decisions at the wrong time were what cost him with his coach, but interestingly he also compared him to Toronto Maple Leaf Jake Gardiner. This was particularly interesting because McKenzie openly wondered if the Toronto Maple Leafs might not have interest in Miller if he was indeed to become available. McKenzie pointed to the fact that Miller is both a Sault Ste. Marie native and that he also played for the SOO Greyhounds, two things that would immediately link him to Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas.

Only time will tell if the Maple Leafs take a stab at him this summer.

Source: