Tomorrow, J.T. Miller returns to Rogers Arena for the first time since being traded by the Canucks at the end of January. Here are his top-five moments as a Canuck.
Tomorrow, October 28, the Vancouver Canucks are set to welcome longtime Canuck J.T. Miller back to Rogers Arena during their matchup against the New York Rangers. Miller spent nearly six seasons with Vancouver before being dealt, during which he quickly became a fan favourite. There have been plenty of memorable moments from Miller’s time as a Canuck — here are five of the greatest.
The 2020 Bubble Playoff Line Read
While Miller should rightfully be most remembered for being tied for the team lead in scoring during the 2020 Bubble Playoffs, his most memorable moment actually comes from off the ice. Throughout his time with the Canucks, Miller showed off his ability to help a locker room take their mind off a big moment. Ahead of a big Game 4 for the Canucks, Miller helped set the tone for the night by reading out the team’s starting lineup. This was a big indicator for what would eventually come during Vancouver’s next playoff run.
First 100-point Season In 2023–24
After coming one point short during the 2021–22 season, Miller finally achieved his first 100-point season in 2023–24, scoring 37 goals and 66 assists in 81 games. The forward played this way even with added defensive responsibilities — something that required change after the team chose to move on from former captain Bo Horvat. Vancouver as a whole played phenomenally in 2023–24, and Miller’s performance is emblematic of that.
Named To First All-Star Weekend
Miller was a solid player for the Canucks throughout his time with the team, so it was only fitting that he’d get his first official All-Star nod in his final full season with Vancouver. He was one of seven Canucks representatives (Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Quinn Hughes, Thatcher Demko, Elias Lindholm, and Rick Tocchet) present at the 2024 All-Star Weekend after receiving 839,215 votes from fans across the league.
Šilovs’ Pink Shirt
In possibly his best out-of-game moment as a Canuck, Miller turned heads during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs when he came out for practice wearing a salmon-coloured shirt with detailed patterns on it. It was later revealed that this shirt belonged to none other than Artūrs Šilovs, who’d taken up the role of the team’s starter after Demko and Casey DeSmith had to miss games due to injury. The moment was ultimately for the best, however, as the Canucks advanced to the second round shortly after.
The “J.T. Miller” Chants
Canucks fans won’t soon forget the “J.T. Miller” chants that would break out any time Miller scored, registered an assist, blocked a shot, or did virtually anything positive for Vancouver. The chants were so frequent that at one point, they broke out at the WWE Survivor Series, during which Miller was not present (nor was there any mention of him).
It will be interesting to see if the Canucks choose to cheer for Miller upon his return in the same manner that they did during his greatest moments in a Vancouver uniform. Whether they do or not will be revealed tonight at 7:00 pm PT when the Canucks take on the Rangers.
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