J.T. Miller wants to be the man in the middle
The Canucks winger has been at his best filling in at centre for injured Pettersson
An engaged J.T Miller is effective and a game-changer. An enraged Miller is a frustrated, error-prone player.
This is important because the Vancouver Canucks winger has embraced the multi-dimensional challenge of replacing injured centre Elias Pettersson. His linemate is day-to-day with an upper-body problem and availability for tonight's meeting with the Montreal Canadiens remains uncertain. The Canucks had Sunday off.
Pettersson absorbed defensive-zone hits from Josh Morrissey in the first period and Mark Scheifele during the third period in Winnipeg a week ago. He scored the next night and logged 17:31, but wasn't good to go on Thursday.
What is certain is how well Miller has managed as a man in the middle the last two games.
He has played the position during his NHL career and regularly takes draws, but more importantly, he's drawn to being a centre of attention because it gets his motor running in all zones.
Whether that's winning circle-game efficiency — 60 per cent of draws Thursday and 78 per cent Saturday — in victories over Toronto and dominating a matchup with John Tavares, the demands are driving his game.
Miller's three-point night Saturday included being sound defensively because playing centre demands a strong backcheck commitment and moving smartly up ice.
It allowed the Canucks, who were 0-13-1 when trailing after two periods, to stage a rare third-period rally on Saturday and for coach Travis Green to ponder how to use Miller when Pettersson returns.
“I haven't worried about that yet. I'll worry about it when the time comes,” said Green. “He was very good (Thursday and Saturday) and it was just a natural fit as a replacement. It's a tall task.”
Green could shift Miller back to wing on The Lotto Line, or spread out the scoring and have him centre the third line. However, Brandon Sutter was moved back to centre from wing because the Canucks were too loose in their defensive posture. And Miller might lose some offensive effectiveness if dropped down.
There's also an intriguing option of pushing Pettersson to wing to keep the top line intact.
That would allow Miller to take pressure off Pettersson in tough matchups and lessen the physical strain of the slick Swede being targeted. And he would still get good left-wing looks and playmaking possibilities as a left-shot coming off the wall or driving the net.
So, over to you J.T.
“I feel very comfortable at centre,” said Miller. “I told Greener that when Petey got hurt. I want to be there. I think I'm more engaged in the game and it really makes me work back into my own end and make sure that I win my battles or have good coverage.
“When we defend well against a highly skilled team like that and a good line — playing against Tavares a lot and he's such a good player — I take pride in that. I like the challenge and, obviously, it's just nice to win games at this point.” Yes, it is.
This two-game win spurt is the first since a four-game run that ended Feb. 1 in Montreal. It has put the talk of trade options, trade deadline and job security on the back-burner, at least for a few days. The playoffs are still a dream with the Canucks four points back of the fourth-place Canadiens, who have five games in hand.
“Just worry about the next game,” suggested Miller.
And there's lots to worry about. Montreal has dominated the season series with a 4-0-1 record and has outscored Vancouver 28-16. Former Canucks winger Tyler Toffoli, who's second in NHL goals, has eight goals in the season series, 11 points, 25 shots and is a plus-9.
“I do feel our team is feeling good about their game but hasn't been getting the results,” said Green. “That's been a mental fight with themselves — even with us as coaches in how we talk to them and when to push them and turn the heat up — because it does get mentally draining. This (win streak) should help hopefully.”
Beating the North Division leading Maple Leafs, arguably one of the best teams in the league, should bode well for the next test. The Canucks met the challenge, even though they surrendered 39 shots Saturday.
“When you play a team like Toronto, you have to understand that you're going to give up some scoring chances,” said Green. “We knew that. There was a certain style we wanted to play and a certain purpose, and also understand you're going to have to weather the storm.”
I feel very comfortable at centre ... I want to be there. I think I'm more engaged in the game.
The hammer in the two-game series with the Canadiens that wraps up Wednesday could be the power play. The Canucks struck twice on Saturday and had four good looks. It was the first time in nine outings they managed two man-advantage goals and a sorry run of being blanked six times in the last dozen games might be a hurdle they have cleared.'
“Analytically, that (first) unit has done a lot of good things and should have a higher percentage,” reasoned Green. “It was nice to see them get rewarded.