Player Discussion What do we have in J.T. Miller?

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Pretty pumped to see him riding shotgun with Pettersson and Boeser. Just this morning we were speculating about whether we’d be going into camp with Leivo on their wing again, and now we have a legitimate top six forward to play with them. Our offence certainly gets a shot in the arm from this.

 

[Luck 6]

Pretty pumped to see him riding shotgun with Pettersson and Boeser. Just this morning we were speculating about whether we’d be going into camp with Leivo on their wing again, and now we have a legitimate top six forward to play with them. Our offence certainly gets a shot in the arm from this.

It sucks we overpaid to get him, but as you said, I am excited to have him. And, we get him for minimum 4 years.

 

[Bougieman]

Good contract. Quality player. Excellent compliment to what we already have on the top two lines. Really glad to have him on the team.

 

[Carnal]

Not sure if anyone else here found this thread in the Tampa section or not. Interesting comments, no unanimous view on him. Slight majority wanted to keep him over some of the other options.

If you could only keep two of Palat, Johnson, Gourde, and Miller, who would you keep?

 

[sandwichbird2023]

Now that I have a few hours to digest the trade and calm down, still don't like the price paid, just hoping it doesn't end up being the Ottawa/Duchene situation. I still think we miss the playoff next season based on the current roster, so it all falls on the 2021 season.
Where does Beartschi, Leivo and Virtanen play now? Assuming Miller plays with EP and BB6. Keep Pearson with Horvat I guess. Sutter and Virtanen seem to be a pair.
Sven had chemistry with Bo, so Leivo with Sutter and Jake? That seem like a bad fit. Gaudette plays in the minor or 4th line? Seems like a bit of a log jam.

 

[Carl Carlson]

I see him getting maybe 20 goals and probably close to 50 pts while playing top 6 mins. All we can do is pray he finds chemistry with Bo or Elias. Basically a more useful Sven Baertschi.

 

[VanJack]

I suppose the fact the Canucks are getting cost certainty for the next four seasons was a factor in Jimbo pulling the trigger on this deal....You can only hope that Miller's $5.5m cap hit looks like a bargain by the time he's into his third season.

 

[biturbo19]

I don't know about the trade either but people need to stop with this "third liner" stuff. He's been averaging 50pts a year over the last four years. That is unambiguously a top 6 forward in the NHL, not "top 9". There are almost no 50 pt players getting regular third line deployment unless they're on ridiculously stacked teams...the league simply isn't that deep and scoring simply isn't that high.

I never called him a "third liner". Nor did i call him a "bottom-6 forward". I called him a Top-9 Forward. Important distinctions there. And that is what JT Miller has established himself as. He can play on any of your Top-3 lines, and with our lack of quality depth on the wings, i'm sure he will play in our Top-6 easily. But he's shown that on a good, deep team...he's a guy who is liable to get pushed down the lineup before others. Outside the Top-6 in TOI, EVTOI, and probably points along with that.

The idea of rigid Top-6/Bottom-6 distinctions is outdated. Rolling 3 lines that can contribute is important. These days, there are some players who are going to be in your Top-6 no matter what (ie. Horvat, Boeser, and obviously Pettersson for us). Anchors and play-drivers on those lines. Then you've typically got the "filler" guys who might find themselves on the top line in a complementary role, or anchoring a 3rd line just the same. That's JT. He's even shown an aptitude for producing quality point totals, even while not playing top minutes. Which is more "bonus value" than a real knock on the guy. You need solid and versatile players like that who can slide up and down. But i'd call that a Top-9 Forward, because that's what guys like that are.

 

[y2kcanucks]

I'll tell you what we have in JT Miller. We have a middle-6er and one less 1st round pick.

 

[Cogburn]

Leivo had a half point per game ish playing with Pettersson and Boeser. Miller is a much better player. He is more likely to play all season then Baertschi. He is better then Pearson. He is second only to Boeser in terms of my expectations from wingers.

Miller-Petterson-Boeser looks like a great line on paper.

Miller-Horvat-Pearson could be solid too.

Roussel-Miller-Virtanen would be a hilarious misuse of Miller but I could see it happening somehow.

 

[Fraser28]

Leivo had a half point per game ish playing with Pettersson and Boeser. Miller is a much better player. He is more likely to play all season then Baertschi. He is better then Pearson. He is second only to Boeser in terms of my expectations from wingers.

Miller-Petterson-Boeser looks like a great line on paper.

Miller-Horvat-Pearson could be solid too.

Roussel-Miller-Virtanen would be a hilarious misuse of Miller but I could see it happening somehow.

I like the Miller-Horvat-Pearson combo best by far. Pettersson already has an elite winger on his line in Boeser. Horvat currently doesn't have a genuine top-6 forward on his line. Miller would give him that.

 

[Horse McHindu]

I know emotions are running high about the trade right now but I did some digging and it looks like Miller is a stud player.

On Tampa last season he was their 5th best point producing forward (8th best goal-scoring forward) while playing the 9th most minutes. He was getting good PP TOI per game, likely a second unit staple, and scored 4 PP goals (5th among forwards) and 20 points (4th among forwards) which suggests that he'll help our PP units. He didn't PK last season but he does throw hits, take face-offs, and play fairly penalty-free hockey.

We could have targeted far worse than a versatile top-6 guy who can play all positions and produce above what his minutes suggest he should from down the line-up.

I see him as an extremely versatile top 6 forward who has a very good long term cap hit in the current NHL.

In a few short months, our LW has gone from being an organizational weakness into an organizational strength (Pearson + Miller). The presence of Miller will allow guys like Pearson, Baertschi/Goldobin, and Roussel, to play on lines that are more commensurate with their talent level.

Center, goaltending, left defense, and now left wing, are positions that we are solid in both short term and long term.

The addition of Podkolzin will likely make us very deep on RW as well (although I hope we can also find something to address our short term RW needs) but other than that, we are good.

Obviously - our RD has some very huge and significant holes, and so we’ll see what Benning intends to do. My guess is that one of Myers or Stralman will be a Canuck in July 1st.

 

[Cogburn]

I like the Miller-Horvat-Pearson combo best by far. Pettersson already has an elite winger on his line in Boeser. Horvat currently doesn't have a genuine top-6 forward on his line. Miller would give him that.

I feel Miller was acquired for Petterssons' line but I don't really have anything to base that on.

I don't think he's going to look bad on either line though. I suppose we have to wait until we have all the variables (like another top six winger and seeing who else is moved). This could be fun.

 

[Canucks1096]

I feel Miller was acquired for Petterssons' line but I don't really have anything to base that on.

I don't think he's going to look bad on either line though. I suppose we have to wait until we have all the variables (like another top six winger and seeing who else is moved). This could be fun.

Pearson is LW and played well with Horvat down the stretch. Most likely they start Pearson with Horvat and Miller with Petey. Now they need to find a RW for Horvat

 

[Canucks1096]

In no order, 18 forwards signed or rfa

Miller Petey Boeser
Pearson Horvat Leivo
Baer Gaudette Virtanen
Rousell Sutter Eriksson
Spooner Beagle Motte
Schaller Granlund Goldobin

Doesn't seem like JB is done

 

[Teflon Jim]

Miller-Pettersson-Boeser
Pearson-Horvat-Virtanen/Baertschi

I dunno... I think we still need more to make the playoffs...

If Miller can complete that first line even in a complimentary role that would be a big step. I think we need a legit skill player for the second line.

I think we need an upgrade on defence.
There's 23 players on a team and adding miller plugs one of several holes but none on defense.

 

[Horse McHindu]

I think we need an upgrade on defence.

Coming soon to a theater near you.

July 1st 2019.

 

[Bettman Returnz]

In no order, 18 forwards signed or rfa

Miller Petey Boeser
Pearson Horvat Leivo
Baer Gaudette Virtanen
Rousell Sutter Eriksson
Spooner Beagle Motte
Schaller Granlund Goldobin

Doesn't seem like JB is done

This kills me! 6 lines worth of forwards. I surely hope we don’t have to add a “sweetener” to get rid of some of these guys. Can only imagine what (if anything) we get for many of these players.

 

[Soups On]

In no order, 18 forwards signed or rfa

Miller Petey Boeser
Pearson Horvat Leivo
Baer Gaudette Virtanen
Rousell Sutter Eriksson
Spooner Beagle Motte
Schaller Granlund Goldobin

Doesn't seem like JB is done

Yup. Eriksson, Spooner, Sutter, Schaller, and Granlund all need to be let go. Sutter at 50% retention could be valuable but all those other players are valueless in my eyes.

 

[settinguptheplay]

"If things go badly you get to claim wonderful insight"
Newsflash the team has been bad for the last four years and you don't need insight to believe it's gonna continue until we get the players we need and our younger players mature.
You for some reason think Miller is the key to our reversal of fortunes and many of us feel the trade was premature in the rebuilding process and didn't address our biggest problems on defence.
The franchise will not be sunk by this trade.
I've been around long enough to remember the vaive derlego trade for the clown prince and his butler or neely for the man with a hole in his arm and have no left but it set us back looking for quick fixes and its my right to voice my opinion that this is just another quick fix like the rest.

You are really grasping at straws now. Again you are completely missing context here. Starting to think you are taking all of this too personally. I was speaking about being a critic. Not just of our team but being a critic in general. I feel it equates to low hanging fruit. You obviously feel differently. Bravo. Again... What does this have to do with hockey? I never said Miller was the key to our reversal. Now you are just making shit up. Very disingenuous of you. I suspect I have been around about as long as you. Perhaps even longer. Perhaps a bit shorter. But what does this have to do with anything? Smelling some real desperation. We are all big boys and girls around here. I am pretty sure others don't need a knight in shining armour to come running to their defense. They are all very capable intelligent people. You should not undersell them like that.

 

[settinguptheplay]

Speaking of snowflakes...

Perhaps you should look up the definition of snowflake. I love this shit. I am cool as ice my friend. You couldn't rattle me on your best day. Unless you meant that for nuckles... Then it all makes sense.

 

[CanadianPantherFan]

Watching him in division :

-He’s streaky guy. Even from period to period. He can look like one of best guys on the ice, or you don’t notice him

-Nine multi point games, when he’s on ...he’s on.

-He can go five out six games easily without a point or much noise

-Look at his TOI, it’s all over the map in games last season

 

[settinguptheplay]

Canafan seemed to think your little play on words was trying to be personal and so did I for which you apologized.
So is it now time to attack me personally or will you kindly keep focus on the post not the poster

I don't think Canafan and I have any issue with each other. I enjoyed our conversation. For the most part it was very civil. Started a bit rough but overall a great chat. Would love to take the guy for a beer. Seems like an intelligent well versed individual. Then again you might have extra insight to how Canafan was feeling.

How on earth did I attack you personally? Dude, just stop. This is becoming nonsensical.

 

[settinguptheplay]

Watching him in division :

-He’s streaky guy. Even from period to period. He can look like one of best guys on the ice, or you don’t notice him

-Nine multi point games, when he’s on ...he’s on.

-He can go five out six games easily without a point or much noise

-Look at his TOI, it’s all over the map in games last season

I think this is pretty typical of 50 point scorers. If they had any real consistency they would be 70+ point scorers. One just hopes that all the streaky players disappear at different times. It is when they all go cold at the same time that long losing streaks tend to happen.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

I'm actually pretty stoked to see him in the top 6..whether on a line with EP,BB...Or Pearson and Bo (Bo and JT would be a handful).