Path to Canucks and Miller Working Out a Contract Extension

According to Harman Dayal of The Athletic, there is still a chance the Vancouver Canucks and forward J.T. Miller work out an extension. Dayal quotes Miller’s agent Brian Bartlett who says he sees a pathway for his client and the team to get something done but does admit, “it takes two to tango.”

Miller’s name has been out there in trade talks but he wasn’t moved at the NHL Entry Draft like many expected might happen. During the entire process of his name being in the rumor mill, both the Canucks’ organization and Miller’s camp have said they are open to an extension. But, the cost of keeping Miller — who had 32 goals and 99 points this past season — is high and thus speculation of a trade is out there.

J.T. Miller was sent home by the Rangers for missing curfew in 2013-14

"AV (Alain Vigneault) came out with a quote that if I don't figure it out I'll be nothing but an AHL player and that hurt”

How Miller got his “shit together” and became a star:https://t.co/Sorr9Ejtfn

— Harman Dayal (@harmandayal2) March 16, 2022

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Still, Miller’s side isn’t ruling out the idea of making something work. Dayal quotes Bartlett when he writes:

I do think there’s a realistic path for an extension with the Canucks. J.T. loves it in Vancouver. He feels like the team is improving, he loved his role there, his family likes the city. He would be on board with an extension. The part that we can’t answer is at what value or level the team places on him. From our end, from J.T’s end, there’s a path forward on an extension but it takes two to tango, I guess.”

With Miller still locked into his deal and with one more season at $5.25 million on his contract, it appears less and less like there is a rush from the Canucks end to get this deal done. The team has already made what they think is a fair offer and while they hope to get to a resolution prior, know that this season’s upcoming trade deadline is their own hard deadline. Miller’s camp maintains they are open to discussion and will be throughout the season. Whether the Canucks want to talk contract during the year is another story. Depending on how the team does and where Miller sits in terms of production, their desire to retain him or trade him may change.

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