Vancouver Canucks star center J.T. Miller has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the team for personal reasons, the club announced Tuesday.
The announcement came just hours before the Canucks’ morning skate, with general manager Patrik Allvin expressing the organization’s full support for Miller without sharing any details.
“Right now, our sole focus is making sure that J.T. knows the entire organization is here to support him,” Allvin said. “Out of respect for J.T., we will have no further comment at this time.”
While personal leaves are not uncommon in the NHL, such situations often fall under the league’s NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.
Miller, 31, has been a key piece for the Canucks since signing a seven-year, $56 million contract with the franchise ahead of the 2019-20 season when he helped Vancouver get back to the postseason after a four-year hiatus.
This season, Miller has continued to produce at a near point-per-game pace, logging significant minutes despite battling through multiple injuries and scoring 16 points in 17 games.
Miller suffered a preseason injury and another apparent upper-body issue early in the season but has managed to stay in the lineup.
The leave follows a tumultuous week for Miller, however, as he was benched during the third period of Sunday’s 5–3 loss to the Nashville Predators, sitting out nearly the final 15 minutes of plays.
The Canucks have had a rather mediocre start to their season, going 9-6-3 in the first 18 games of the campaign only good for the fifth-best record in the Pacific Division.