Welcome to our 2023-24 Vancouver Canucks player review series, where we take a look at how Canucks players are performing in the 2023-24 season during the summer. Today’s player is JT Miller, who has 37 goals and 103 points in 81 games.
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It was a great season for Miller, who was voted MVP by fans, became just the seventh player in franchise history to score 100 points in a season, and was one of the team’s spiritual leaders all year long, both on and off the ice.
RELATED: JT Miller becomes seventh Canucks player with 100-point season
Miller is a perfect example of a player who can thrive with a new coach. Playing in Rick Tocquet’s system, Miller improved his game on both ends of the ice, earning Selke and Hart votes last year. Not only did he set career highs in points, he also set career highs in blocks and hits, and his plus-minus of +32 was a career-best.
RELATED: JT Miller wins 2023-24 Cyclone Taylor Trophy
Despite being used in a matchup role most nights, Miller’s even-strength zone minutes figures show how effective he was at shutting down the opposing team’s top players. He finished the regular season playing 42.9% of his even-strength time in the offensive zone, which ranked him in the 85th percentile. He also managed to keep his time in the defensive zone below 40%, finishing with 39.6% for the year. Ultimately, Miller did a great job keeping the puck out of the defensive zone on the ice, which translated into his highest number of goals conceded per 60 minutes at even strength since joining Vancouver.
The power play was another area where Miller thrived last season. He recorded 30 assists for the second time in his career and scored double figures in goals for the second straight year. After all, he was a threat any time the puck was on his stick, firing off roof shots or making tape-to-tape cross-ice passes to set up scoring chances.
In the playoffs, Miller was consistently one of the Canucks’ best players in every game, recording 42 hits in 13 games and tying for the team lead with 12 points. Miller also thrived in the faceoffs, winning 58.6% of his 200-plus faceoffs. The series against the Edmonton Oilers may not have gone as well as it should have without Miller, who was outstanding in limiting Connor McDavid for much of the series.
Miller has had some productive seasons in Vancouver, but this year was arguably his best yet. He has developed into a more complete player and a fan favorite. Now in his sixth season with the Canucks, Miller has a chance to achieve a feat only Pavel Bure has managed: score 100 points in back-to-back seasons.
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