J.T. Miller compliments Vancouver Canucks in first game with Rangers
It appears that all J.T. Miller needed was a fresh start as he impressed in his first game after being traded by the Vancouver Canucks.
In his debut for his second stint with the New York Rangers, Miller was able to pot two goals in a 6-3 loss to the Boston Bruins. That performance came after scoring just one goal in his last 11 games with the Canucks.
In one of the intermissions of that game, Miller chatted with ESPN where he threw some kind words to the Canucks organization.
“It’s been a long two days, but it’s really special putting this jersey back on,” Miller said. “I have no disrespect to the Vancouver Canucks organization, they’ve given me absolutely everything. The support I’ve had over this whole year, it’s been a long year.”
The reason JT Miller waived his NMC.
Throwing gratefulness to the #Canucks, He’s a class act. pic.twitter.com/XiOa9PV1rc— Canuck Girl 🇨🇦 (@CanuckGirl43) February 1, 2025
Trading Miller to the Rangers ended a year-long saga that saw a feud between him and fellow Canucks superstar Elias Pettersson grow. It wasn’t long ago that Rogers Arena was chanting Miller’s name, but as the drama continued to pile up, it became clear that a trade had to be made.
It didn’t take long for the ex-Canucks star to make an impact on his new team. He opened the scoring for the Rangers in the first period with a wicked one-timer.
For the first time since February 25th, 2018, J.T. Miller has scored a goal for the New York Rangers. pic.twitter.com/AQhRM5XWhc
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) February 1, 2025
He wasn’t finished there. After the Bruins built up a 4-1 lead, Miller parked himself in front of the net and tipped home a shot-pass from Mika Zibanejad in the first minute of the third period. It was his first two-goal game with the Rangers since March 28, 2017.
J.T. Miller has two goals in his Rangers return pic.twitter.com/XKp967wLuE
— Rangers Videos (@SNYRangers) February 1, 2025
Despite the thrilling debut with the Rangers, Miller still found himself on the wrong side of the scoreboard, similar to the Canucks losing their first game without him against the Dallas Stars on Friday.
Miller will leave behind a complicated legacy in Vancouver, but fans will surely look back on his time wearing the Canucks jersey fondly.