When the Vancouver Canucks traded for JT Miller back at the 2019 NHL Draft there were mixed reactions by Canucks fans. Some were happy the Canucks added a dynamic winger to a young up and coming team. While others like myself thought trading a first round pick for a 40-50 point player was a bit steep. Well what I can say now is that I was so wrong. In Miller’s first year in Vancouver he lead the team with 72 points and was tied for first in goals with 27. Playing on the “lotto line” with Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser. He helped lead the Canucks to the playoffs, where they would eventually fall to the Los Vegas Golden Knights in seven games in the western conference semi final.
The 2020 season was special for the Canucks. Even though the season was shortened due to Covid and the playoffs were in a bubble. The emergence of Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes and Thatcher Demko showed the league the Canucks had arrived and were going to be a force to be reckoned with moving forward. The addition of JT Miller was also a huge part of that. After not handling the salary cap very well (Thanks again Jim Benning). The Canucks lost a bunch of key players in the off-season and the 2021 they missed the playoffs.
Even though the team didn’t play well Miller was one of the Canucks most consistent forwards putting up 46 points in 53 games. In the following season Miller put up 99 points but his defensive game suffered leaving a lot of fans frustrated. With the Canucks not playing well trade rumors grew and a lot of Canucks fans were in favour of trading Miller. In the offseason the Canucks re-signed Miller to a seven-year contract worth eight million dollars annually. Personally I was shocked. I thought Miller was on his way out for sure.
Miller always played with an edge and was a bit of a hot head. Leading to some turmoil with his teammates. This was put on display when he was slamming his stick on the back of the net trying to tell goaltender Colin Delia to skate to the bench for an extra attacker vs the Winnipeg Jets. But a lot of fans liked this about Miller. Some people thought the Canucks needed more players like Miller who play with an edge and with their heart on their sleeve.
The 2023-24 season was where it came all together for the Canucks. They made the playoffs winning the pacific division and Miller led the team with a career high 103 points. Miller played great defensively all year and scored the biggest goal of his life in game five in the second round vs the Edmonton Oilers. Miller potted the winning goal with 31 seconds left in the game leading to 18,000 fans chanting his name throughout Rogers Arena. Unfortunately that was the peak.
This season the Canucks haven’t had the season they had hoped. His rocky relationship with Elias Pettersson brought too much negative noise around the team. Miller took a 10-game personal leave in mid-November. Miller’s play dipped as well, leading him to be traded to the New York Rangers. Miller leaves Vancouver 11th in points in franchise history. Whether you loved him or JT Miller his impact on the ice will never be forgotten in Vancity.