Player Discussion: J.T. Miller

HoseEmDown

Registered User
Mar 25, 2012
17,452
3,681
How would it make sense for him to only take a 2 year deal? He doesn't owe us anything and has enough consistency in his production to warrant term, hence why the arbitration argument was brought up, it's either that or 5-7 years.

He just signed a 2 year prove it contract with the rangers last year and he's going to do another one heading into ufa? Don't think so. Almost insane to think a 26 year old walking into UFA after a bridge contract is signing for 2-3 years.

We don't owe him anything to offer 5-7 years either. 2 years probably isn't enough but we can do 4, like Brayden Schenn got after his 2 year bridge. He doesn't have the numbers Schenn got and he got 5.175 for 4 years. I think we can use that as a idea to work with as that would be the max money, 5.175 but more likely less with no clauses for 4 years.
 

Outl4w

Registered User
Dec 16, 2011
3,110
1,523
FL
Would a team like VGK or AZ be interested in taking Miller + Callahan for something small like a late pick? They need to reach and maintain cap floors. JT Miller will give them a solid top 6/9 forward that is young and a veteran cap dump to mentor the young kids. With Vegas trading multiple picks for Tatar, I think the GM would be interested. Miller is young, bigger, and better than Tatar at this point in their careers. I can see Steve Yzerman getting creative and using Miller to dump Callahan's hit.
 

HoseEmDown

Registered User
Mar 25, 2012
17,452
3,681
Would a team like VGK or AZ be interested in taking Miller + Callahan for something small like a late pick? They need to reach and maintain cap floors. JT Miller will give them a solid top 6/9 forward that is young and a veteran cap dump to mentor the young kids. With Vegas trading multiple picks for Tatar, I think the GM would be interested. Miller is young, bigger, and better than Tatar at this point in their careers. I can see Steve Yzerman getting creative and using Miller to dump Callahan's hit.

Why diminish Miller's value with Callahan? If we make a move this offseason I see it being Miller's rights or Johnson before the NTC kicks in. We could keep all the forwards intact for next year and go for another Cup run. That offseason we can explore trading Callahan and see what value he has if any, we could easily retain the last year and his NTC is modified so.we realistically could find a trade partner and not have to waste assets to move him. We aren't in dire straits yet to force him out.
 

AndreRoy

Registered User
Jan 3, 2018
3,637
2,365
I gotta say this crow is pretty tasty. I was skeptical about the Namestnikov-Miller swap but as long as we keep seeing good engaged Miller more than lazy bonehead Miller it looks like it’ll be a huge win for us. And as a throw-in to a bigger trade no less. Should’ve remembered that while some of his decisions with free agents are questionable Yzerman doesn’t make bad trades.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sila v Kucherove

LightningStrikes

Champa Bay Lightning
Nov 24, 2009
26,062
9,772
Kuch's goal against Montreal and the sequence leading up to it is exactly why we acquired Miller. Montreal had the puck behind the net, any other Lightning player would've come in with the stick to battle for the puck. Miller just slams the guy carrying the puck against the wall, flips the now loose puck over to Stamkos and from there it's an easy quick goal for Kuch.

 
  • Like
Reactions: Maelmoor

Pavel Buchnevich

Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Dec 8, 2013
57,228
23,100
New York
I think Miller was really caught off guard by the trade, and its gotten him to refocus.

There's no reason he shouldn't be well liked as he's a very talented hockey player, but I think he had gotten lazy the last year or two. I don't think the challenge with Miller will be this season, I think it'll be in two or three years. Is he going to revert back to being the player who shows up every few games to score a few points, but otherwise is making bad turnovers every game and gets a reputation as a player who is un-coachable and not well liked within the organization?

Even going back to when Miller was trying to break into the league, Vigneault called him out like I've never seen him publicly call out a player, and apparently he also had a pretty talked about fight at practice his second season with MSL.

I think you guys got the more talented hockey player, while we got the more stable personality. If Cooper and Yzerman can keep Miller on task for the duration of his contract, you guys should win the trade. If not, you'll probably have a malcontent in your locker-room in a season or two.
 

CupsOverCash

Registered User
Jun 16, 2009
16,353
7,092
I think Miller was really caught off guard by the trade, and its gotten him to refocus.

There's no reason he shouldn't be well liked as he's a very talented hockey player, but I think he had gotten lazy the last year or two. I don't think the challenge with Miller will be this season, I think it'll be in two or three years. Is he going to revert back to being the player who shows up every few games to score a few points, but otherwise is making bad turnovers every game and gets a reputation as a player who is un-coachable and not well liked within the organization?

Even going back to when Miller was trying to break into the league, Vigneault called him out like I've never seen him publicly call out a player, and apparently he also had a pretty talked about fight at practice his second season with MSL.

I think you guys got the more talented hockey player, while we got the more stable personality. If Cooper and Yzerman can keep Miller on task for the duration of his contract, you guys should win the trade. If not, you'll probably have a malcontent in your locker-room in a season or two.

I think the Names-Miller swap will really benefit both players. Names will have a chance to be a consistent top line contributor and Miller will get a fresh start. I think down the road, both teams will really like this trade.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pavel Buchnevich

JoVel

HFBoards Sponsor
Sponsor
Jan 23, 2017
19,181
26,365
I think the Names-Miller swap will really benefit both players. Names will have a chance to be a consistent top line contributor and Miller will get a fresh start. I think down the road, both teams will really like this trade.
The problem is that Vlad needed Stamkos and Kucherov to be a top line player. I don't see how he'd be a big factor in NYR. Will probably get 40 points through a full season at most.
 

LightningStrikes

Champa Bay Lightning
Nov 24, 2009
26,062
9,772
I think Miller was really caught off guard by the trade, and its gotten him to refocus.

There's no reason he shouldn't be well liked as he's a very talented hockey player, but I think he had gotten lazy the last year or two. I don't think the challenge with Miller will be this season, I think it'll be in two or three years. Is he going to revert back to being the player who shows up every few games to score a few points, but otherwise is making bad turnovers every game and gets a reputation as a player who is un-coachable and not well liked within the organization?

Even going back to when Miller was trying to break into the league, Vigneault called him out like I've never seen him publicly call out a player, and apparently he also had a pretty talked about fight at practice his second season with MSL.

I think you guys got the more talented hockey player, while we got the more stable personality. If Cooper and Yzerman can keep Miller on task for the duration of his contract, you guys should win the trade. If not, you'll probably have a malcontent in your locker-room in a season or two.
Sounds a lot like a motivational problem. I mean from what I've read on the Rangers board as well as in some articles Miller and AV didn't really match well. Playing under a new and demanding coach like Cooper and for a very successful team might give him wings and explain his recent good play for the Lightning. The question is whether he's able to keep it up. But so far he's doing extremely well, no matter who we throw him on the ice with which is quite pleasant.
 
Last edited:

Sky04

Registered User
Jan 8, 2009
28,957
17,898
I think his deficiencies are covered well by playing on the Lightning, it is noticeable that his defensive game doesn't have much tenacity to it but with Gourde and Point being able to get the puck out of the zone so quick it's hardly effects the team. I can see it being irritating if he's one of your primary scorers and offensive leaders but it isn't the case here.
 

CupsOverCash

Registered User
Jun 16, 2009
16,353
7,092
The problem is that Vlad needed Stamkos and Kucherov to be a top line player. I don't see how he'd be a big factor in NYR. Will probably get 40 points through a full season at most.

What I mean is that he will get a little more opportunity there than he did here. We just don't have a need at what he brings to the table. He can be that role player for NY.
 

Todd1a

Kucherov or prospect
Jun 19, 2014
16,389
2,747
orlando, fl
I gotta say this crow is pretty tasty. I was skeptical about the Namestnikov-Miller swap but as long as we keep seeing good engaged Miller more than lazy bonehead Miller it looks like it’ll be a huge win for us. And as a throw-in to a bigger trade no less. Should’ve remembered that while some of his decisions with free agents are questionable Yzerman doesn’t make bad trades.
I’m starting to like Miller more and more hopefully yzerman can work something out long term
 

Rschmitz

Finding new ways to cheat
Feb 27, 2002
15,748
8,070
Tampa Bay
Might come down to him or TJ. As much as we bag on TJ he has a skill set we don't have a lot of down the pipe
 

HoseEmDown

Registered User
Mar 25, 2012
17,452
3,681
Might come down to him or TJ. As much as we bag on TJ he has a skill set we don't have a lot of down the pipe

I think it comes down to who we can get more for. They are our 5/6 best options for forwards, not a big loss whichever one we lose. If we can get a young cheaper RD we move one for that, if not we take the best pick plus prospects package.
 

AndreRoy

Registered User
Jan 3, 2018
3,637
2,365
I think it comes down to who we can get more for. They are our 5/6 best options for forwards, not a big loss whichever one we lose. If we can get a young cheaper RD we move one for that, if not we take the best pick plus prospects package.

I’m sorry but I couldn’t disagree more about Johnson not being a big loss. Let’s not forget that in our recent playoff runs he’s been our second leading scorer behind Kucherov, or that despite his streakiness he’s consistently been one of our top goal scorers year after year in the regular season, or all the times he’s had to step up when Stamkos has gone down with an injury or simply disappeared in the postseason. Yes, Stammer’s ability to stay healthy this year combined with the breakout seasons of Point and Gourde has seemingly diminished Johnson’s importance to us, but there’s no guarantee one of our top centers won’t go down again next season, or that Gourde will be able to repeat this season’s performance, or that Stamkos won’t become a passenger in the playoffs again.

I’m not saying that we won’t trade Johnson, but if we do it will indeed be a big loss.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sila v Kucherove

2020 Cup Champions

Formerly Sila v Kucherove
Nov 26, 2013
14,774
4,404
I think we underestimate how good Johnson's contract really is when he performs the way he has in the playoffs. Teams are constantly signing guys who elevate their game in the playoffs like Joel Ward for 1 and 2 years at a time and trying to catch lightning in a bottle. He's signed through those weird years, too, where guys like e.g. Oshie, Okposo get paid too much for too long.
 

HoseEmDown

Registered User
Mar 25, 2012
17,452
3,681
I’m sorry but I couldn’t disagree more about Johnson not being a big loss. Let’s not forget that in our recent playoff runs he’s been our second leading scorer behind Kucherov, or that despite his streakiness he’s consistently been one of our top goal scorers year after year in the regular season, or all the times he’s had to step up when Stamkos has gone down with an injury or simply disappeared in the postseason. Yes, Stammer’s ability to stay healthy this year combined with the breakout seasons of Point and Gourde has seemingly diminished Johnson’s importance to us, but there’s no guarantee one of our top centers won’t go down again next season, or that Gourde will be able to repeat this season’s performance, or that Stamkos won’t become a passenger in the playoffs again.

I’m not saying that we won’t trade Johnson, but if we do it will indeed be a big loss.

Playoff Johnson will be a huge loss but regular season not so much. He hasn't been a top 5 forward in the regular season since his breakout 70+ point year. He was awful two years ago but had a great playoff, Killorn put up more in the regular season than him. Last year he bounced back a bit but still wasn't a top guy and that was without Stamkos and a rookie Point. Now we have a healthy Stamkos, Point is a beast, Gourde looks legit, Palat still around, Killorn is doing well still and if Miller is here all year he produces like Johnson. Anytime you lose a good top 9 player it will hurt but he's not a key guy right now and doesn't seem to be going forward. If you can predict a Stamkos injury or Gourde being a one hit wonder then tell Yzerman but if all things remain the same we can absorb his loss easily and a guy like Cirelli will hopefully be able to replace most of it quickly.

Another thing is we aren't trading Stamkos, Kucherov or Point. Killorn has a NTC so will be harder to move and might hurt the return. Gourde seems like someone to keep around and doesn't have the track record so might not hold as high value. That leaves Johnson, Palat and Miller. You could debate all day as to who is more valuable and who we should keep. Ideally we move Miller since he's new and keep our guys and stay loyal to them. Just depends who gets the biggest return. We have wing depth on the way so Palat could be replaced soon but nobody is as good as him at what he does yet so it would be hard to replace. Miller we aren't sure what he really is because it hasn't been long enough but we have some wings and centers who could replace him soon too. Regular season Johnson I can see being replaced soon, Cirelli isn't going to keep up his pace but brings a lot of things Johnson can do and is here now and looks the part. Nobody besides Kucherov has been on Johnson's level in the playoffs. If Johnson does his thing again this year then you can make the argument we need to keep him no matter what, hopefully we have some others who can step up this year.
 

Sky04

Registered User
Jan 8, 2009
28,957
17,898
Miller is way more skilled than Namesnitkov everyone and their mom except hose knew that. He's going to get picked apart as a primary scorer but as a depth player he's great.
 

The Macho King

Back* to Back** World Champion
Jun 22, 2011
48,609
28,846
Miller is way more skilled than Namesnitkov everyone and their mom except hose knew that. He's going to get picked apart as a primary scorer but as a depth player he's great.
Yeah - Namestnikov has issues handling hard passes. I think he bobbled a few of the passes Kucherov and Stamkos sent if he was there in stead of Miller.

Clear upgrade if you ask me.
 

Flat Ronnie

Registered User
Feb 11, 2014
5,524
2,903
If it's one or the other, what do you pick?



Trade one of TyJo/Palat

Or

Don't resign Miller
 
Last edited:

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->