Saturday's impressive Canucks victory felt more like a fun last ride for a once-promising core that seems bound for a breakup.

J.T. Miller came very close to being held out of the Vancouver Canucks’ game against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. That’s according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who reported live on Hockey Day in Canada that the Canucks came very close to trading Miller.

Quinn Hughes scored twice on the power play and J.T. Miller added a pair of assists as the host Vancouver Canucks held on to beat the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 Saturday to end a two-game losing streak.

The Canucks’ best player on Saturday night may not even be part of the team on Sunday. All the conjecture made J.T. Miller’s performance against the Oilers even more impressive and poignant.

Quinn Hughes scored twice and the struggling Vancouver Canucks edged the visiting Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on Saturday. Danton Heinen added a goal and J.T. Miller contributed two assists for the Canucks (20-15-10), who came into the game with losses in six of their last seven contests.

Leon Draisaitl is having a Hart-Trophy calibre season this year, but fans and media outside of Edmonton are still sleeping on the Oilers superstar - with TSN not even naming him as an MVP candidate.

It was hard-nosed blueliner Darnell Nurse who picked up the primary assist. His contribution was being ready to take a Draisaitl pass, and blast a solid attempt on net but have it stopped by Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper. Instead, it was Draisaitl who did all the work to make this four-on-four goal happen.

Leon Draisaitl is on pace for an MVP caliber season this year, and after recording another two points against the Seattle Kraken last night, Coach Knoblauch spoke candidly about the turning point for Draisaitl.