J.T. Miller staying with Vancouver Canucks; signs 7-year extension
Anthony Scultore
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Speculation on J.T. Miller’s future can end now that the Vancouver Canucks signed him to a seven-year extension worth $56 million on Friday ($8M AAV).
The rumor mill has been churning on the power forward all the way back to last season, since he was entering the final year of his contract with an AAV of $5.25 million.
Miller was also unsure of what may be happen but made it clear his desire was to remain in Vancouver. In late August, he provided an update Dropping The Gloves podcast.
“At this point with negotiations we’re not as close as we’d like to be. I’m not 100%– everyone has a vision. I want to be here,” he said. “That being said, if it’s not meant to be, I understand that too.”
In the end, the Canucks realized the importance of keeping their leading scorer right where he wanted to be.
Canucks sign J.T. Miller
Serving as the Canucks’ top-line center, Miller set career highs in goals (32), assists (67) and points (99) and average time on ice (21:05) across 80 games. He had 30 of his assists on the power play in an expanded role there.
“J.T. Miller is an impact player in this League and we are thrilled to have him re-signed with the Canucks long term,” Vancouver general manager Patrik Allvin said in a statement. “His production last season speaks for itself and his competitive drive provides a standard that our players can look up to. He will continue to be a key piece of this team for years to come.”
In 10 NHL seasons with the New York Rangers (2012-18), Tampa Bay Lightning (2018-19) and Canucks, Miller has 454 points (169 goals, 285 assists) in 637 games. Both last season and in 2019-20, he received votes for the Hart Trophy for league MVP and Selke Trophy for best defensive forward.
–Field Level Media contributed to this article