Canucks' J.T. Miller takes indefinite leave from team for personal reasons

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Vancouver Canucks center J.T. Miller is taking an indefinite leave from the team for personal reasons, the team announced Tuesday.

General manager Patrik Allvin said the team’s focus is making sure Miller knows “the entire organization is here to support him.”

Miller, 31, has six goals and 10 assists in 17 games for Vancouver (9-5-3) this season, and is second on the team in points behind captain Quinn Hughes (18 points).

“Obviously he’s a massive part of our team and a superstar in the league. So any time you miss a guy like that, you’re going to feel it,” Hughes said. “But at the same time, we have a lot of confidence in the guys we have here. Coming into the year we thought we had a contending team, and it’s not just one guy, it’s our whole group.”

Miller posted a career-high 103 points (37 goals, 66 assists) last season.

The six-foot-one, 218-pound forward from East Palestine, Ohio, was selected 15th overall by the Rangers in the 2011 draft and has played for New York, Vancouver and the Tampa Bay Lightning over 13 NHL seasons.

“Obviously, a very big hole to fill. But we wish him well in his personal matter, and we’re here to support him, the whole organization,” teammate Elias Pettersson said.

Canucks coach Rick Tocchet said he's proud of his team through the adversity and injuries that seem to be piling up.

“We’ve dealt with a lot of stuff. Dakota (Joshua’s) cancer, there’s a lot of stuff that’s been thrown at this team," he said. “But we’ve got a pretty good record, considering a lot of stuff.”

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