Tocchet: Seems like something bad happens every time Miller's on ice

Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet explained why J.T. Miller played fewer than 15 minutes in a 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on home ice Thursday night.

"Yeah, he's struggling," Tocchet told reporters postgame. "He's caught in between. Seems like every time he's on the ice, something bad happens. I think he's got some bad luck, but he's also got some reads that he's got to look at himself right now and focus on some of these reads. ... I think he's trying sometimes, but I think the focus level has to get a little higher."

Miller was seemingly benched for a shift in the defeat. The center ultimately failed to log a point or a shot on goal and finished as a minus-2 with two giveaways, no takeways, and three hits in 14:34.

The American finished last among all Vancouver skaters in five-on-five ice time at just 9:18, per Natural Stat Trick. He also posted a paltry 7.05 expected goals for percentage.

The Canucks equaled the Kings in shots on goal Thursday, as the two clubs notched 21 apiece. But L.A. forward Alex Turcotte scored on two of them in the first period, and Adrian Kempe netted another to put the Kings up 3-0 before the first intermission.

Miller made defensive miscues on Turcotte's second goal that made it 2-0, as well as Kevin Fiala's marker that put the victors up 4-1 late in the second period.

The 31-year-old let Fiala get by him easily at the point, allowing his opponent to get free and take a shot on goal that led to Turcotte's tally.

Miller then got caught pinching while shorthanded, allowing the Kings to come back the other way and score off an odd-man rush.

The Canucks forward has been held pointless for five straight games. He's averaged 14:11 of ice time in the last three compared to the 18:12 he was logging per game beforehand in 2024-25.

Vancouver fell to 19-15-10 with Thursday's loss. The Canucks now sit outside the playoff picture with a .545 points percentage.

It was reported earlier in January that the team was exploring the trade market for Miller and Elias Pettersson amid an apparent rift between the two key forwards.