Canucks prez Jim Rutherford makes his thoughts on J.T. Miller media coverage extremely clear

Modified Dec 04, 2024 20:28 GMT

Vancouver Canucks forward J.T. Miller has taken an extended personal leave of absence from the team to deal with a matter that's yet to be disclosed. While there has been plenty of speculation as to the nature of the problem, there's also been the usual hearsay that accompanies these kinds of situations.

Canucks President Jim Rutherford called out the fans and media who are attempting to speculate on Miller's situation and offering unsubstantiated rumors and theories, labeling them disrespectful.

“Don’t start making stuff up on someone in his situation. That’s disrespectful,” he said. “People that do this for fun, or for a living, just go back to making up trade rumors.”

Rutherford also made it clear that the Canucks have no intention of trading him.

“No, we are not (trading him),” Rutherford said, leaving no room for doubt. “We stand by him.”

While Miller's departure from the Canucks has caused a considerable void in their lineup, they're making do with the best that they can thanks to the increased level of play by first-year Canucks F Jake DeBrusk and the continued dominance of Quinn Hughes.

Canucks F J.T. Miller is in the third season of a $56 million contract

Miller scored 37 goals with 66 assists last season for the Cancuks, which were both career-highs. He also played a key role in helping them advance to Game 7 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals, where they were dispatched by the Edmonton Oilers.

The leave of absence was announced two weeks ago amidst a cloud of mystery. But regardless, he can count on the full support of his teammates, led by Hughes.

“Obviously he's a massive part of our team and a superstar in the League, so anytime you miss a guy like that, you're going to feel it,” said Hughes. “But at the same time, I have a lot of confidence in the guys we have here and coming into the year we thought we had a contending team. And it's not just one guy, it's our whole group, and I'm very confident who we have in here.”

Head coach Rick Tocchet also made it clear that the team is continuing to support Miller while respecting his privacy and hoping that he can return as soon as he's able to.

The Canucks next hit the ice on Friday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Rogers Arena in downtown Vancouver; game time is set for 10:00 PM EST.