Canucks' Rutherford shuts down 'disrespectful' Miller trade rumours
Published
Vancouver Canucks president Jim Rutherford was very clear when asked about the trade rumours surrounding forward J.T. Miller: the team will not be trading him.
Miller, 31, stepped away from the team for an indefinite leave of absence for “personal reasons” on Nov. 19, fueling speculation that the team was preparing for a trade.
“No, we are not [trading him],” Rutherford told Postmedia. “We stand by him.
“Don’t start making stuff up on someone in his situation. That’s disrespectful. People that do this for fun, or for a living, just go back to making up trade rumours.”
When the announcement was made, general manager Patrik Allvin said the club's focus is making sure Miller knows "the entire organization is here to support him."
Miller Named to Team USA
Miller, who has six goals and 10 assists in 17 games for Vancouver this season, was named to Team USA's 4 Nations Face-Off roster on Wednesday.
Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said the move "absolutely" signals that Miller is drawing closer to a return to the Canucks lineup.
“I have spoken to J.T.,” Team USA general manager Bill Guerin added. “J.T. is a wonderful guy, a high-end competitor, a high-end player. I don’t know the specifics of what he is going through, but I do know when you are going through something like that and you need a leave of absence, what you need is support, people behind you and people in your corner, and that’s what we are. We are behind J.T. Miller, and we are there for him, and he’s going to be a part of this team and a big part."
Miller posted a career-high 103 points (37 goals, 66 assists) last season, adding three goals and 12 points in 13 playoff games.
The 6-foot-1, 218-pound forward from East Palestine, Ohio, was selected 15th overall by the Rangers in the 2011 draft and has played for New York, Vancouver and the Tampa Bay Lightning over 13 NHL seasons.
The Canucks have a 13-7-4 record and sit third place in the Pacific Division