Vancouver Canucks centre J.T. Miller is taking an indefinite leave from the team for “personal reasons.”
General manager Patrik Allvin announced the news in a statement Tuesday, saying the club’s focus is making sure Miller knows “the entire organization is here to support him.”
Miller, 31, has six goals and 10 assists in 17 games for Vancouver this season, and is second on the team in points behind captain Quinn Hughes (18 points).
“Obviously he’s a massive part of our team and a superstar in the league. So any time you miss a guy like that, you’re going to feel it,” Hughes said.
“But at the same time, we have a lot of confidence in the guys we have here. Coming into the year we thought we had a contending team, and it’s not just one guy, it’s our whole group. And we’re very confident who we have in here.”
Miller posted a career-high 103 points (37 goals, 66 assists) last season.
The 6-foot-1, 218-pound forward from East Palestine, Ohio, was selected 15th overall by the Rangers in the 2011 draft and has played for New York, Vancouver and the Tampa Bay Lightning over 13 NHL seasons.
“Obviously, a very big hole to fill. But we wish him well in his personal matter, and we’re here to support him, the whole organization,” said Canucks centre Elias Pettersson.
The Canucks were already without some key players, including goalie Thatcher Demko (knee), sniper Brock Boeser (upper body) and defenceman Derek Forbort (lower body).
Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet said Boeser and Forbort both skated on Tuesday, and that Demko has strung several good practices together.