Since bowing out in the first round of the playoffs, the Millers have made several roster moves
in the past few months. Looking to get younger, but still remain competitive, the team has seen
a combination of youth and experience join the club so far this offseason.
Players Out:
Claude Giroux (trade), Frank Nazar (trade), Jake Bean (trade), Reilly Smith (trade), Scott
Laughton (trade), Nathan Bastian (RFA Release), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (UFA), Brett Kulak (UFA)
Players In:
Marco Rossi (trade), Jayden Struble (trade), Vitek Vanecek (trade), Jesperi Kotkaniemi (trade),
Christian Fischer (trade), Trevor Moore (Dispersal Draft), Ridley Greig (Dispersal Draft), Brian
McCabe (Dispersal Draft)
Georgetown did not sign any UFAs.
Below is a breakdown and the reasoning behind each acquisition:
Claude Giroux and prospect Frank Nazar to Amos for Marco Rossi, Jayden Struble and
prospect Quinn Finley.
The Millers had targeted a young, future top 6 Center as their main goal of the offseason and
acquired the 22 year-old Rossi from Amos when trading resumed. Giroux was well loved and
respected in Georgetown but the emergence of Dylan Guenther meant a top 6 spot on the
wing had to open, and with Giroux getting up there in years it made sense to move him for
Rossi. Georgetown was also high on Nazar, but his NHL future seemingly lies on the wing and
the club felt Rossi offered more current and latter-day value. The trade also brought in 22 year
old Struble, who looks like a solid 3rd pair, D and collegian Quinn Finley, who’s played for the
US at the U20 WJC and projects as a possible speedy middle 6 winger at the pro level. Long-
term Rossi may not put up the points that Nazar does, but Rossi is considered to be a solid
defensive Center for a young player and a possible Selke nominee down the line who can
contribute 60-70 points a season. In other words, an extremely solid 2nd line Center. He’s
slated to start on the 3rd line this upcoming season.
Jake Bean to Baltimore for prospect Alexander Pashin
Bean ably served as a depth Dman the past couple of seasons, but the acquisition of Brian
McCabe in the dispersal draft moved him down to 9th on the depth chart. Rookies Struble and
David Jiricek, although minors-bound, are also available if needed so Bean was a $2,000,000
luxury. Once lauded as an offensive Dman, his point totals have disappointed but his defensive
play has been solid. Bean could find regular ice time in Maryland, so the Millers were happy to
move him in exchange for former Carolina prospect Pashin. Pashin’s entry-level contract was
voided last year as he left the AHL to play in Russia, where the dimunitive winger put up decent
numbers in his first full KHL year. He’s a lottery ticket, but if Pashin continues to improve and
produce in the KHL, a return to North America isn’t out of the question.
GEO 10-24 and Reilly Smith to Chippewa for Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Vitek Vanecek.
This deal serves 2 purposes: 1) Moving out Reilly Smith as the expensive vet was looking at a
4th line or reserve role, and 2) Taking flyers on Kotkaniemi and Vanecek to improve for the next
disk after poor 23-24 NHL seasons. The Kotkaniemi return is particularly risky, as he’s making
$4.6 million over the next 3 years, and will very clearly be the 5th or 6th Center on the depth
chart and could conceivably see no ice time in the 24-25 Miller’s season. If he can return to his
form of the 22-23 NHL season he’ll make a decent bottom 6 Center still with some potential to
meet his top 6 ceiling. Vanecek is no improvement over Jake Allen as the #3 Goalie, but a
comeback in the 24-25 NHL season more in line with his 22-23 showing could see the pending
RFA resigned as a fairly cheap 3rd Goalie, or possibly dealt if he shows enough to be a good
#2 option again.
Scott Laughton to Fergus for Christian Fischer and prospects Ryan Ufko and Vincenz
Rohrer
Laughton was acquired at mid-season last year and was a revelation, finding instant chemistry
with Claude Giroux on the top line and scoring a point per game and adding some needed grit
to the lineup. With his ratings going down following a tepid NHL season that included a
substantial cut in his ice-time, Laughton was pencilled in as the LW on the 3rd line with Copp
and Guenther. The acquisition of Rossi and the desire to pair him with a strong defensive
forward who can help with face-offs and with another good offensive player made Laughton
expendable. This move set-ups a potential third line of Rossi centering Copp and Guenther.
Fischer is a 4th line energy player who’s merely depth on the wings. The prospects are not
definite NHL’ers but have desirable skills and traits that could see them fit in at the bottom of a
lineup. Rohrer joins fellow Austrians Rossi and prospect Marco Kaspar in the system. Rohrer is
not as skilled as Rossi nor a 200 foot player like Kaspar, but he is a smart, creative Center
who’s likely to move to the wing due to his size if he makes the NHL. Ufko is a former WJC star
as an offensive defenseman who also had a solid NCAA career at UMass. He turned pro after
his college season ended and held his own in the AHL. On the small side at 5’10 and 180 lbs,
Ufko is likely a 3rd pair D and 2nd PP QB at the NHL level.
Dispersal Draft - Moore, Greig, McCabe
With their first pick in the dispersal draft of Sudbury and New England players, the Millers
chose winger Trevor Moore. Coming off a 30 goal NHL season, the heady winger is slated to
play to the right of Dylan Larkin on the top line. An all-around player with great speed, Moore
will also see time on the PK in addition to PP duties.
The 2nd pick was C/LW Ridley Greig, a 21-year old coming off his first full NHL season. A late
1st round pick in 2020, Greig plays a fast, hard-nosed brand of hockey that belies his size. He
also has very good skill, and should be a middle 6 mainstay for years to come. Given the
Millers current forward depth Greig probably won’t see a lot of game time this coming season
unless injuries strike a few forwards, but in a couple of years he’ll be a regular, likely on the
wing.
(Prospect Josh Filmon was the Millers 3rd pick. He’s an average-sized winger out of the WHL,
lauded for his compete and hockey IQ. A solid scorer, he’s also viewed as a potential middle 6
winger.)
Georgetown’s final pick was D Brian McCabe. The veteran comes off perhaps his best NHL
season, and is likely to pair with Shea Theodore on the top defensive pairing, as well as being
on one of the PK units. A shut-down D who can skate and move the puck, he should thrive
alongside the offensive-minded Theodore.
