JT Miller Is A Great Player On A Terrible Team
I used to hate JT Miller. He was always a thorn in my side as an ex-New York Ranger. Since then, he went to Tampa, just missed out on the Stanley Cup, and then went to Vancouver. Despite missing out on a ring or two, he showed just how great he is north of the border. Miller was always a respectable two-way forward. He could kill penalties, put up good numbers, and be the guy you want in the lineup. However, he has taken it to the next level as a Canuck.
2019-2020 was his first All-Star game as he went on to post 27 goals, 45 assists, and 72 points in 69 games before the pandemic. He set career highs in all three categories as he excelled in a new role. Thanks to the incompetence of Jim Benning and the Canucks organization, however, it seems like Miller is going nowhere fast.
He Can Do It All
While Miller’s offensive capabilities have exploded in recent years, he remains a solid defender. The American can log minutes on the powerplay while also holding his own in 5-vs-5. He wins faceoffs and, at 6-foot-1 and 218 pounds, can definitely throw his weight around. He is reliable from the first puck drop to the final horn. His plus/minus is always solid. Miller is one of the only bright lights of an otherwise lackluster 2020-21 for the Canucks. Even in a down year, he put up a respectable 46 points in 53 games. At 28 years old, he still has good years remaining in the NHL. A player as experienced as Miller is definitely an asset, as he made plenty of playoff runs with the Rangers and the Lightning. All that’s missing is a Stanley Cup on what is otherwise a very solid career to date.
Miller is a great example of a late bloomer in the NHL. He put up decent numbers in the middle six for two playoff teams. As a two-way forward, he could play plenty of minutes in all types of situations, including in the playoffs. For those reasons, the Canucks should see him as a valuable asset. With a $5.25 million cap hit for two more seasons, they must begin giving him reasons for wanting to stay. They did reshuffle the front office with the Sedin twins.
Furthermore, Benning did bring in some help with Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland. However, we must see how it plays out on the ice. It is worth noting that both Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson are due for big extensions soon. If Vancouver decides to blow it up and open up salary room, Miller is one of the first names I would ask about.
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