A year ago, the tremors were lasting longer and shook harder. Article content

We were all awaiting “The Big One” when the Vancouver Canucks hit the 20-game quarter pole. Article content Article content

The divisive fault line that ran between J.T. Miller and Elias Pettersson was so active that Miller took a personal leave of absence, even though the club was 11-6-3 and had won seven of its last 11 games. Regardless, something had to give.

And when it did, the quake measured high on the NHL Richter scale. A Jan. 31 trade that sent Miller to the New York Rangers in a multi-asset swap was about reducing drama in the room and improving the product on the ice.

It didn’t work. Pettersson plummeted to just 15 goals and 45 points in 64 games amid immense pressure to be “the guy”.

De

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