Hockey world congratulates Canucks’ Miller after special week

After months of debate, rumors and speculation about JT Miller’s future with the Vancouver Canucks, fans finally have their answer: he’s here to stay.

The 29-year-old forward agreed to a seven-year, $56 million contract extension with the organization on Friday, as general manager Patrik Allvin announced.

With NHL training camps just weeks away, it was unclear whether or not anything in the Canucks-Miller saga would change before the 2022-23 season. Since Miller still has one year left on his current contract, the Canucks had the flexibility to wait out the situation if necessary.

Last July, president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford said the Canucks wouldn’t feel pressured to sell Miller (if they couldn’t re-sign him) before the 2023 NHL trade deadline. . However, Vancouver ultimately chose to figure things out much sooner – locking up their offensive chief after fruitful negotiations with Miller’s agent.

As one would expect in a Canadian hockey market, reactions to the new deal have been mixed, to say the least. Many Canucks fans, members of the media and personalities were thrilled to learn of the signing, expressing their approval on Twitter.

And on a non-hockey note, Miller’s family also welcomed the arrival of a new baby on Monday, so fans had more than one thing to congratulate him on.

Others commented on how unexpected the deal was, especially on a Friday, and even more so before a long weekend. Not to mention, the trade rumors and signing speculation surrounding Miller and the Canucks seemed to be fading recently.

Then there were the not-so-positive takes. Many have taken to Twitter to express their concerns over the Canucks’ decision to sign Miller long-term to a team that has dealt with cap issues in the past and no doubt struggled in recent years.

And finally, there were those who were just happy that the conversations around Miller could finally be cut short…for now.