Canucks sign J.T. Miller to seven-year contract extension

J.T. Miller is here to stay.

After months of speculation that he’d be traded, the Vancouver Canucks have decided to hang onto their leading scorer from last season.

Miller has signed a new seven-year, $56 million deal, which kicks in after next season. The 29-year-old’s new contract will carry an $8 million cap hit until after he turns 37 in 2030.

CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal is reporting that Miller will have a full no-trade clause for the first four years of the deal, and a modified no-trade clause in the final three years.

Vancouver Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the club has agreed to terms with center J.T. Miller on a 7-year contract worth a total $56 million. pic.twitter.com/UuW2G4xhOC

— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) September 2, 2022

The signing was announced just one day after J.T. and wife Natalie welcomed a baby boy into the world.

“His production last season speaks for itself and his competitive drive provides a standard that our players can look up to,” said Canucks GM Patrik Allvin. “He will continue to be a key piece of this team for years to come.”

Miller had a career-year last season, leading the Canucks in points (99), assists (67), and tying for the team lead in goals (32). He played in all situations, primarily as a centre, averaging 21:05 per game.

The power forward leads all Canucks players in scoring since he was traded to Vancouver in 2019, with 217 points in 202 regular-season games.

Top 20 #Canucks scorers since the start of the 2019-20 season pic.twitter.com/WK8ozjT0ys

— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) September 2, 2022

Miller’s current contract, which carries a team-friendly $5.25 million cap hit, was set to expire after the upcoming season.

The Miller extension leaves Bo Horvat as the Canucks’ lone star player set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer if he remains unsigned. Miller’s deal is the biggest contract dished out by Allvin since becoming Canucks GM in January. He also signed Brock Boeser to a three-year, $19.95 million contract on July 1, and Ilya Mikheyev to a four-year, $19 million contract on July 13.

Training camp begins on September 23 in Whistler, with preseason starting two days later. The puck drops on the regular season on October 12.

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