There was a time J.T. Miller struggled to work his way into an NHL lineup.
Now the 31-year-old is a stalwart centre for the Vancouver Canucks – and he’s set to play his 800th regular-season game Wednesday when the team opens the 2024-25 campaign against the Calgary Flames.
“The older I get, the more I respect guys that can play for a long time. And super lucky, fortunate, especially health wise, to play in this many games,” Miller said Wednesday morning.
“There’s a time 10 or 11 years ago when I was just trying to get into the lineup. I feel very, very lucky to be where I’m at. But, obviously, I’ve got a lot of help from coaches and stuff along the way.”
Hailing from East Palestine, Ohio, Miller was picked 15th overall by the New York Rangers in the 2011 draft.
He made his NHL debut back on Feb. 5, 2013 as the Rangers faced the Devils in New Jersey. Asked what he’d say to the player who was preparing for that game, Miller grew reflective.
“Oh, man. Try to enjoy it. It’s a fun job that we get to have, but it is a job,” he said.
“The quicker you can learn, the quicker you’ll stay and quicker you’ll be acclimated. So just try to be a sponge. Try to take in as much as you can, even though it’s very difficult.”
The 6-foot-1, 218-pound forward spent parts of six seasons in New York before he was dealt to the Tampa Bay Lightning in February of 2018.
The Lightning then sent him to the Canucks at the 2019 draft in exchange for goalie Marek Mazanec, Vancouver’s third-round pick in 2019 and a conditional first-round selection in 2020.
During five seasons in Vancouver, Miller has grown as a player and a person, Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said.
“He’s always trying to get better every day, physically and mentally, his approach to the game and how he can be better off the ice and on the ice when it comes to the game,” Tocchet said. “I have a lot of respect for him.”
Miller posted career highs in both goals (37) and points (103) last season as Vancouver finished atop the Pacific Division, then battled through two gritty playoff rounds.
The sometimes gruff centreman was an important part of the team’s success, captain Quinn Hughes said.
“He’s been tremendous,” Hughes said. “Just a great player, great leader for our group. And 800 games is a lot of games. Really excited for him.”
When Canucks winger Conor Garland hit the 400-game mark late last season, Miller organized T-shirts to celebrate the milestone and most players donned the garments – complete with Garland’s face – after the morning skate.
There won’t be a similar tribute for Miller on Wednesday, Hughes said.
“Eight hundred is a great milestone, but we’ll wait for him to get 1,000,” he said with a grin.