Former Rangers forward roasted by coach: ‘Every time he’s on the ice it seems something bad happens’

Things just keep getting worse in Vancouver for former New York Rangers forward J.T. Miller. He’s dealt with poor play, feuds with teammates, and trade rumors – and now Canucks coach Rick Tocchet had some choice words for him.
After another brutal showing in a 5-1 home loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday in which Miller had no points, no shots, and was minus-2 in 14:34 of ice time, Tocchet didn’t hold back.
“Yeah, he’s struggling,” Tocchet said of Miller, who had 103 points last season. “He’s caught in between. You know, it 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. I think the focus level has to get a little higher.”
Miller saw one of his lowest ice-time totals of the season in Thursday’s game, and he appeared to be benched after he turned the puck over, allowing the Kings to score.
Related: Breaking down Rangers big trades 1 month after dealing captain, former No. 2 overall pick
J.T. Miller continues to struggle: ‘I’m on the wrong side right now’

It’s been a season of adversity for Miller. First, he took a 10-game leave of absence from the team for an undisclosed reason.
Then, rumors started swirling that he and teammate Elias Pettersson have had an ongoing feud, though both Miller and Tocchet have denied that claim. Still, the rumors haven’t quieted — and they even include a potential return to the New York Rangers.
All of this comes in a campaign in which Miller is projected to score just 54 points — almost a 50 percent drop off from last season. He and the Canucks have struggled, especially in the last month.
“It’s hard,” Miller said Thursday night. “I’m trying to be mentally strong. And I think this is where your character shows, in moments like this. So today, my mindset was to work my ass off and see what happens. And I really still think I did that, but it’s just costly mistakes right now. I just need to focus more. It doesn’t matter what I do, I’m on the wrong side right now, and it’s on me. I’m a leader on the team, and the team expects me to be a lot better than this. So that’s my focus.”
Since Dec. 18, the Canucks have posted a 3-6-5 record and, as a result, have fallen to fifth in the Pacific Division. But they remain just one point out of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference despite losing six of their last seven games.
As Vancouver continues to slide, a trade involving Miller is becoming increasingly likely. Maybe a change of scenery — even a return to familiar sights in New York — would be beneficial. Miller did, after all, spend his first six years as a pro with the Rangers organization.
The Canucks’ schedule doesn’t get much easier: They have two meetings with the Edmonton Oilers and one against the league-leading Washington Capitals in their next four games. We’ll see if Miller can find his game when Vancouver really needs it.
More About:New York Rangers News