J.T. Miller’s mild start limiting Vancouver Canucks’ ceiling

J.T. Miller is such a critical driver of play and culture for the Vancouver Canucks, that if he’s off by just a little, it affects the team. And last game, Miller was off by a lot.

Elias Pettersson’s slow start has been a daily fixation for Canucks Nation, but Miller, too, has not had the dominant start he displayed last season.

Through 13 games, Miller has five goals and 11 points – nine fewer points than at this stage of the National Hockey League season one year ago.

The 31-year-old centre has been playing through an undisclosed medical issue that kept him out of all but the final pre-season game, and in October affected his faceoff ability. In Vancouver’s 7-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday, Miller and linemates Conor Garland and Pius Suter were crushed at five-on-five, mostly by Connor McDavid’s line. Shots were 8-0 for the Oilers when Miller was on the ice, and the Canuck posted expected-goals-for of just four per cent.

“I feel good about my game, but I know I have another level,” Miller said after the Canucks practised Monday at Rogers Arena. “And I want to be more of a driving player.”

Miller has still been good in most games, but he hasn’t been as dynamic. The former 15th overall pick hasn’t dominated physically like he did for much of last year due to his rare combination of speed, power and physicality.

He still has 25 hits for the Canucks, tied for second among forwards, but that figure is down about one-third, from 38 hits through 13 games a year ago.

“I still feel fast,” Miller said. “But I haven’t been as physical — for reasons — and I’ve started to be a little bit more lately, and that feels better. I know my last game …  wasn’t a good game. But right now, the timing is off a bit with our forecheck. We’re not extending O-zone time, and I think my lack of physicality has a lot to do with that. We’re not spending a lot of time in the D-zone most nights; it’s not like we’re getting herded in by teams. It’s just we’re not extending our O-zone shifts, so our chances are one and done. And that’s a frustrating game to play because it feels like you’re just doing laps (up and down the ice).

“Sometimes these stretches happen, and sometimes they’re in the middle of the season and you brush them off. But it’s frustrating now because it’s at the beginning, right? You want to get off to a good start. Like I said, it’s not bad. But, for sure, I have another gear in the sense of driving play. It’s got to be from moving my feet and being physical, same as I always tell you.”

An encouraging number hidden among the mostly bad ones for the Canucks on Saturday is that Miller registered four hits. As a team, the Canucks outhit the Oilers 34-10.

“He’s hard on himself,” coach Rick Tocchet said. “He knows there’s another level. We all know there’s another level. You know, the last game was probably his worst game of the year. He’ll tell you that. But he’s had some good moments for us. He’ll round it out. I’m not worried about him. But what I do love (with) J.T., some guys think they’re playing well and they’re OK. He doesn’t. That’s what I love about J.T. I think he’s playing fine, and he’s trying to find that upper level. Like everybody else, like our whole team.”

New Miller line

With the Calgary Flames visiting Vancouver on Tuesday, the NHL debut of elite Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki could provide an emotional boost for Miller and his team.

Recalled from the American League after scoring five goals in seven games for the Abbotsford Canucks, Lekkerimaki, 20, practised Sunday and Monday on a line with Miller and Suter. Miller’s regular right winger, Brock Boeser, is out indefinitely with a suspected concussion.

Lekkerimaki’s parents are flying in from Sweden for the game. The 15th overall pick from the 2022 draft said he slept fine on Sunday night.

“Last night was good,” he said. “I mean, I’m not nervous right now. But probably get (nervous) the same day or a few hours before the game. I will just try to play my game. But at the same time, the first NHL game is special, so try to enjoy it, too. Just have fun and enjoy every second, on and off the ice.”

Lekkerimaki nearly made the Canucks lineup during the pre-season, but said a month in the AHL has helped him adjust to the physicality of the North American game. He feels better prepared for his NHL debut because of his start in Abbotsford

“He obviously has a world-class shot, and I like that he wants to use it at all times,” Canuck centre Aatu Raty, Lekkerimaki’s linemate in Abbotsford, said. “That’s what I love. Every time you give him a chance, he’s going to shoot it. He’s not going to be second-guessing himself, which is a good thing. You know, one game he had, like, 15 shots. A lot of them were blocked or didn’t hit the net. The next game, he still keeps going and scores, like, in his first two shots of the first period. If he keeps doing that … whatever league he’s going to play in, he’s going to score a lot of goals.”

“I remember what it’s like to get your first chance,” Miller said when asked about Lekkerimaki. “I want to make him look good. I want to make it easy for him. I’m going to tell him the same thing I tell everybody else: ‘Man, just forecheck well and we should have time with the puck, and then you can play your game and be creative and do your thing.’ If we play the right way, we shouldn’t spend a lot of time in our own zone. It’s exciting. He’s a helluva player.”

Pipeline running smoothly

The benefit of the salary cap and roster flexibility manufactured by Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin has been obvious in the first month of the season.

After mopping up for starter Kevin Lankinen on Saturday, struggling NHL goalie Arturs Silovs got a valuable start Sunday in Abbotsford as he made 23 saves in a 4-2 AHL win against Bakersfield.

The Canucks practised Monday with just 12 forwards, knowing they can recall Arshdeep Bains or Nils Aman from the AHL for Tuesday’s game because Dakota Joshua is still not quite ready to return from surgery for testicular cancer. Tocchet said Joshua could play Thursday against the New York Islanders.

Silovs’ recall on Monday was the 26th transaction the Canucks have made since the season began to move players between their NHL and AHL teams.

“Even to bring a guy up for a couple of games or even a couple of practices, it’s huge for his development,” Tocchet said. “And you can call a guy at 10 o’clock and they’ll be here for a noon practice. That’s something that (management) tried to build the last couple years, and it’s really helped.”

After starting just one of the Canucks’ last 10 games, Silovs said the chance to play – and win – Sunday in the AHL helps his confidence. He admits his start to the NHL season has been difficult mentally.

“But it’s going to be always hard,” the 23-year-old said. “It’s hard to win games. When things don’t go your way, it’s always hard. For anyone. Mentally, too, let’s say you start getting on a losing streak, you try to push yourself more and more and then there’s, like, some bounces or something doesn’t go the way you want. You just have to bear down, right? Go to the basics and just clear your mindset.”