J.T. Miller's personal absence addressed by Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin

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Tom Banks
November 26, 2024 (7:29 PM)

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The Vancouver Canucks have been without J.T. Miller after he took a leave of absence, and now GM Patrik Allvin has addressed it for the first time.

Despite all of the absences this season, the Vancouver Canucks are off to another great start, posting a 10-6-3 record through their first 19 games of the 2024/25 campaign.

While Brock Boeser remains sidelined with a head injury, J.T. Miller's absence is a personal one, with the team announcing last week that he would be stepping away for an indefinite period .

Little has been heard about the situation since that point, but now during a media session on Tuesday, General Manager Patrik Allvin has opened up as much as he can on the situation, putting his entire support behind the veteran forward.

«First and foremost, I'm very proud of J.T. seeking help,» Allvin said. «I don't know if he said it, but I believe that he's going to be a better person, a better teammate, and a better hockey player when he returns. And we sure miss him; he's such an impactful hockey player. I think we have and the league has all the right support to help him.»

Unsurprisingly given how this has been handled, it's more likely than not a mental health-related absence for Miller, with Allvin noting the strength it showed for Miller to seek help.

Those sentiments have been echoed by Head Coach Rick Tocchet, who once again states how missed and supported J.T. is in the Canucks locker room.

«Listen, I miss the guy,» coach Rick Tocchet said after the Canucks' optional skate this morning. «But obviously there are things that are more important than hockey. He's a huge part of our team, and when a guy like that is not there, you notice.»

It's unclear at this point when a Miller return could be coming, with the veteran wanting to get back to 100% before returning to the team, so for now fans will continue to support Miller as he goes through a tough time, with the hope that he can get better soon.