JT Miller attempts to clean up bad reputation with latest comments on the Delia incident

The past season wasn’t an easy one for the Vancouver Canucks, including their star forward JT Miller. He is more than eager to turn the page on the 2022-23 season that saw head coach Bruce Boudreau get fired and the Canucks once again missing out on the postseason.

Things only got worse for Miller when he gained national attention in a late December game against the Winnipeg Jets. In the last moments of that game with the Canucks trailing 3-2, goalie Collin Delia attempted to get back the bench for the extra attacker, but hesitated several times. This prompted Miller to shout at him to get off the ice before slamming his stick on the net in disgust. Miller revealed on the Cam & Strick Podcast, that everything was smoothed over right after the game.

“I spoke with the goalie coach and the head coach and I apologized to — was it Delia in net? — and I’m like, ‘Delia, I’m sorry if I made you look bad, or anybody looked bad, but I’m not trying to make anybody look bad,’” recalled Miller. “To be honest, I was a little more disappointed we didn’t have a plan. Like, I had full possession behind the net, and we couldn’t get our f***ing guy on the ice. That’s what I was pissed about.”

Miller was upset he had to constantly explain himself to the media because to him, there was nothing more to it.

“I shouldn’t have to explain myself,” added Miller. “I feel like I’m constantly trying to explain myself. Listen, there’s enough people that understand me that I get pretty good sleep at night.”

The incident was followed by one of Miller’s worst performances of the season and the forward was called out by analysts and on social media.

“The media defined my season with a couple of those moments and I think that that’s just really sad,” said Miller. “We were dealing with so much turmoil and so much BS outside of X’s and O’s in hockey, I think I got outside of my lane trying to help at everything and I should have just been worried about playing hockey.

“So, when you see the video in Calgary of me not backchecking, that has nothing to do with that play. That has everything to do with I felt exhausted. I just felt tired emotionally and mentally and physically. A guy like me, that cares a lot about everything, I feel like it’s also my Achilles heel.”

Miller has hopes that media and fans will have less to criticize in 2023-24 since he feels optimistic about the team’s direction thanks to the fresh start under Rick Tocchett and new additions on the roster.

“We have a better team than we did last year. Everybody’s one year more mature and one year more of knowing what to expect,” said Miller. “I think we’re going to surprise people. I’m not going to put a number or whatever on it, a place on it. We’re a hard team to play against and I think that what we started to build last year with Rick, I think it’s really going to be really fun.”

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