J.T. Miller breaks silence on "most exhausting" season amid rift with ex-teammate Elias Pettersson

J.T. Miller spoke about his “most exhausting” season, reflecting on a difficult time with his former Vancouver Canucks teammate Elias Pettersson. The captain of the New York Rangers, Miller told NHL.com that outside pressures and extra expectations made the season very challenging.

Vancouver entered the 2024-25 season with high hopes because they were Pacific Division winners in the previous campaign. They were eliminated in the second round but looked strong against the Edmonton Oilers, taking them to seven games, who then played Florida Panthers in the Finals.

The team was struggling in late December, with a 17-11-8 record, which increased tension in the locker room. The public rift between Miller and Pettersson affected team performance.

On Jan. 31, the Canucks traded Miller to the New York Rangers along with defencemen Jackson Dorrington and Erik Brannstrom. In an interview with NHL.com on Friday, J.T. Miller said that he wanted to move on from Vancouver. He called the previous season “long” and that he would like to forget it.

“There was a lot of outside influence, a lot of extra stuff going on in the last few years where I felt the urge to do more than I was being asked to do,” Miller said.

“It creates a monster, if you will. ... Last year was the most exhausting. Just a long year. A year I'd like to forget about, quite frankly.”

Miller added that despite the pressures, he still welcomes expectations from himself and others.

“I love that. It makes me the player that I am. I don't feel the extra added pressure. I really don't,” he said.

Now with New York Rangers, J.T. Miller plans to focus on his new role as captain and use his past experiences to grow as both a player and a leader.

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Elias Pettersson responds to rumored rift with J.T. Miller amid Canucks struggles

In December 2024, rumors about a conflict between Elias Pettersson and former teammate J.T. Miller resurfaced as the Canucks struggled.

After a 5-4 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators, Pettersson appeared frustrated when asked about the issue.

“That's still going on? Well, it's the same answer. It's good. I don't know why people still try and make [expletive] up,” he said (via Sportsnet), quickly moving on when asked if the rumors were distracting.

Following Miller’s January trade, Pettersson improved his offense but got injured in the second half of March. In 64 games during the 2024-25 season, the Swedish center has 45 points with 15 goals.

"My game last season was obviously not at the level it was in the two seasons before that," Pettersson said.

This season, he will look to bounce back after a down year, as he continues to be a key player in Vancouver’s offense.