[Article] Miller paying early dividends for Canucks with production, leadership

[Chickenspear]

A bit of love from back east. didn't see this posted anywhere, seemed a little long for the Miller thread.

https://www.nhl.com/news/jt-miller-providing-leadership-for-vancouver-canucks/c-310401816

Quote

 

Miller paying early dividends for Canucks with production, leadership

Forward tied for most points on Vancouver, which has won six of past seven, after offseason trade

by Nicholas J. Cotsonika @cotsonika / NHL.com Columnist

 October 23, 2019

 

J.T. Miller has been what the Vancouver Canucks hoped he would be when they acquired him in a trade from the Tampa Bay Lightning on June 22.

 

Maybe better.

 

He has been arguably the Canucks' best player early this season, and this is a team with lots of young talent on a 6-1-0 run entering its game against the Washington Capitals at Rogers Arena on Friday (10 p.m. ET; ESPN+, SN1, NBCSWA+, NHL.TV).

 

The forward has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in nine games, tied for the Vancouver lead with linemate Elias Pettersson (two goals, eight assists). Next on the Canucks in scoring is linemate Brock Boeser with seven points (two goals, five assists).

 

"I'm obviously lucky to be playing with two really high-end players," Miller said. "We just try to keep it simple."

 

That's the key.

 

Vancouver paid a high price for Miller: goalie Marek Mazanec, a third-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft and a conditional first-round pick. The first-round pick will be in the 2020 NHL Draft if the Canucks make the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season or the 2021 NHL Draft if they don't.

 

But general manager Jim Benning liked that Miller had four seasons remaining on a five-year, $26.25 million contract signed with the Lightning on June 26, 2018, and thought he could help the development of Vancouver's young players. Coach Travis Green said the Canucks had been looking for someone to play with Pettersson and Boeser.

 

Pettersson, 20, the No. 5 pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, won the Calder Trophy voted as the top rookie in the NHL last season with 66 points (28 goals, 38 assists). Boeser, the No. 23 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, was runner-up for the Calder in 2017-18, when he had 55 points (29 goals, 26 assists) in 62 games. The 22-year-old had 56 points (26 goals, 30 assists) in 69 games last season.

 

Miller, the No. 15 pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, has had as many as 58 points (23 goals, 35 assists) in a season, when the 26-year-old had 40 points (13 goals, 27 assists) in 63 games with the New York Rangers and 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) in 19 games with the Lightning in 2017-18.

 

His game is about skating, winning battles and getting the puck to his linemates. He also wins face-offs and plays net front on the power play. He has won 61.1 percent of his face-offs, sixth in the NHL among players who have taken at least 50, and has three power-play points (two goals, one assist).

 

"I want to be the guy that works and gets the puck back and opens up ice for those two that see the ice better than most guys in the League," Miller said. "I try to keep it simple. If I try to play really skilled like them, I get away from my game, start standing still. So I try to use my speed and size and stick with what works for me normally."

 

That has helped Boeser and Pettersson one way in particular.

 

"Me and [Pettersson] sometimes want to make plays when we should get it deep, and that's what we're kind of learning from him," Boeser said.

"Sometimes, we don't need to force those plays and (should) just get the puck deep, because we'll get it back if we get on the forecheck.

 

"So that's something that he's really talked to us about, because if you don't turn the puck over, you're going to be in the offensive zone. We won't spend as much time in the [defensive] zone. 

 

"Even if we're not scoring, I think we're creating chances. I think we haven't spent that much time in the [defensive] zone probably the longest stretch in our careers so far. We've been barely in our [defensive] zone and getting pucks deep and going to work."

 

The Canucks have had 63.98 percent of the 5-on-5 shot attempts with Miller on the ice, 59.02 percent with Pettersson on the ice and 55.14 percent with Boeser on the ice, the best rates among those who have played more than one game.

 

Last season, they had 50.24 percent with Boeser on the ice and 50.14 percent with Pettersson on the ice.

 

"It's more fun to play in the offensive zone," Pettersson said. "When we play in the [defensive] zone, we focus a lot to play good there and move the puck out of the defensive zone and make plays there. … I feel we have good chemistry, and I feel like I know where they are on the ice."

 

Miller probably will not sustain a point-per-game pace. But his style is sustainable and can help push all three players to new heights.

"He has all the attributes of a great hockey player," Boeser said. "He's a veteran guy, so he kind of has taken us under his wing. He plays the right way."

 

 

 

 

[Guest]

B-b-b-but first round pick! 

[brownky]

5 minutes ago, Stamkos said:

B-b-b-but first round pick! 

Mmmmhmm.

 

So much hurt over what is "probably" going to be a late round first pick.

 

It'd be gravy if it were the 31st pick this year

[Chickenspear]

2 minutes ago, brownky said:

Mmmmhmm.

 

So much hurt over what is "probably" going to be a late round first pick.

 

It'd be gravy if it were the 31st pick this year

30th bro, 30th... we got this right?

[Winter Soldier]

So much whinging was done about the pick when some of the most optimistic outcomes for a mid-range first are JT Miller.

[Alflives]

We are making the playoffs, and Tbay will get our first at the 2020 draft.  (20 to 31) is where I believe the pick will fall.  TBay should have kept Miller. He's a playoff body and hard to play against.  They did change the dynamics of their fourth line, by going to bigger guys, who play a hard game, but they were foolish to move Miller.  They should have moved a Smurf like Johnson or Point.  LIkely though, they tried that and JB said NO WAY.  The Lightening's loss is our gain.  Stupid TBay.  Ha Ha Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Alflives]

2 minutes ago, Winter Soldier said:

So much whinging was done about the pick when some of the most optimistic outcomes for a mid-range first are JT Miller.

And that player would take another five seasons to develop into a guy who might be as good as Miller is now.  Crazy move by Tbay to move out their best Playoff body.  

[Chickenspear]

1 minute ago, Alflives said:

We are making the playoffs, and Tbay will get our first at the 2020 draft.  (20 to 31) is where I believe the pick will fall.  TBay should have kept Miller. He's a playoff body and hard to play against.  They did change the dynamics of their fourth line, by going to bigger guys, who play a hard game, but they were foolish to move Miller.  They should have moved a Smurf like Johnson or Point.  LIkely though, they tried that and JB said NO WAY.  The Lightening's loss is our gain.  Stupid TBay.  Ha Ha Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cdubuya]

I wasn't super happy with the trade when it happened given JB's prior trades and the fact that the 1st was unprotected in 2020 (potentially). However, it looks great so far. I hope he has a long and successful career with the Canucks and that the pick we gave up doesn't end up being super high.

[hockeygod77]

Never knew much on miller before ..i saw him on highlight reels scoring and playing tough solid games...what i like about the guy is he plays smart tough hockey..he has great attitude as a  hockey player..he is a hockey player not just a guy that plays in nhl for big bucks...

[LowerMainLander18]

1 hour ago, Alflives said:

We are making the playoffs, and Tbay will get our first at the 2020 draft.  (20 to 31) is where I believe the pick will fall.  TBay should have kept Miller. He's a playoff body and hard to play against.  They did change the dynamics of their fourth line, by going to bigger guys, who play a hard game, but they were foolish to move Miller.  They should have moved a Smurf like Johnson or Point.  LIkely though, they tried that and JB said NO WAY.  The Lightening's loss is our gain.  Stupid TBay.  Ha Ha Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I heard TB management really wanted to keep him. They had cap issue so really had no choice but to trade him for something in return.  

Apparently, they really liked him there and it was very tough for them to split from him.  xD

[Alflives]

2 minutes ago, LowerMainLander18 said:

I heard TB management really wanted to keep him. They had cap issue so really had no choice but to trade him for something in return.  

Apparently, they really liked him there and it was very tough for them to split from him.  xD

I'm glad TB did trade us Miller.  I'm surprised they didn't try and move one of those smaller forwards, and keep Miller though. Clearly they were way too small for playoff hockey.  

[theo5789]

11 minutes ago, LowerMainLander18 said:

I heard TB management really wanted to keep him. They had cap issue so really had no choice but to trade him for something in return.  

Apparently, they really liked him there and it was very tough for them to split from him.  xD

Cap dump, should've only taken a 5th rounder to acquire. Benning suckzzzz

[Gaudette Celly]

Tankers were always begging for Benning to take on cap dumps... 

[Philthy]

3 hours ago, Chickenspear said:

30th bro, 30th... we got this right?

32nd we cant forget about Seattle now..

 

Edit: I'm one too many years ahead..

Edited October 24, 2019 by Boone Jenner

[theo5789]

25 minutes ago, Gaudette Celly said:

Tankers were always begging for Benning to take on cap dumps... 

To be fair, they wanted to be getting high picks or whatever for taking on those said cap dumps rather than giving away 1sts to do so. The problem is they equated a Miller "cap dump" equivalent to say a Lucic cap dump.

[JM_]

How many trade deadline deals for 1st rounders have we seen over the years for rentals that didn't even pan out? Miller-Petey-Brock is dominant on possession and producing like a legit 1st line. And we've got Miller for a great term and contract. 

 

I guess people can pine over the 1st, we'll see who that is and what they become in 3 or 4 years which when this trade can be fully assessed, but for now its paying off nicely. 

[WeneedLumme]

Hey, what happened to the "realistic fans" who were determined to describe Miller as a grossly overpriced 3rd line player? Where'd they go, back to HF Boards?

[spur1]

23 minutes ago, WeneedLumme said:

Hey, what happened to the "realistic fans" who were determined to describe Miller as a grossly overpriced 3rd line player? Where'd they go, back to HF Boards?

Back under the bridge 

[189lb enforcers?]

When the trade was made nobody here knew that JB was going to be out buying his way out of trouble to supplement this trade with.

 

So any early bitching about the trade didn’t have the benefit of knowing the team was transitioning from the R-thingy to win within a weeks time. 

 

Miller plays a game I enjoy, but I wouldn’t have guessed, no matter how much I wanted it to happen, that the Canucks abandon their “rebuild” strategy and go after all sorts of quality UFAs on July 1.

 

Lots of players get off to a great start every year. Usually around 25 players rock a PPG average through the first 20-30 games until the grind catches up. At game 82, there’s typically, what, 5-10 PPG players left? 

 

Lets see where Miller ends up.

Either way, I’m glad JB traded for character and damn spine for the Canucks. 

They sure are more fun to watch of late.