Canucks Announce J.T. Miller Will Be Away From Team Indefinitely

The Vancouver Canucks will be without veteran forward J.T. Miller for the foreseeable future, having announced Tuesday that he will be away from the team on an indefinite leave of absence due to personal reasons.

The Canucks did not elaborate on the circumstances surrounding Miller's absence, though they did make clear that he has their full support.

"Right now, our sole focus is making sure that J.T. knows the entire organization is here to support him," general manager Patrik Allvin said in a statement. "Out of respect for J.T., we will have no further comment at this time."

Miller, 31, is in his sixth season in Vancouver and his 13th in the NHL. Through the first 17 games of the season, he's registered 16 points including six goals. His 18:24 of ice time per night ranks third among Canucks forwards, trailing only Elias Pettersson and Conor Garland. Miller is second on the team in scoring, trailing only star defenseman Quinn Hughes.

His loss will be a significant blow to a Vancouver team that's already without fellow star forward Brock Boeser, who has missed the last five games with a lower-body injury. The Canucks (9-5-3) have lost three of their last five games. They'll host the New York Rangers, one of Miller's former teams, on Tuesday night.