The fiery centre’s locker stall was always a favourite stop for the media during his five-plus seasons for the Canucks.
With his tenure coming to an end with Friday’s trade to the New York Rangers, here’s a look at some of Miller’s top 20 most notable quotes.
1. April 2021 on the NHL initially scheduling 19 games in 31 days for the Canucks coming out of COVID-19 pandemic shutdown for the team: “It’s kind of frustrating if I’m being 100 per cent honest with you. We’ve tried to talk about the number 1 priority is players’ health and their families’ safety, and it’s almost impossible to achieve that with what they have asked us to do here on our return. I talk to my teammates a lot, and this hasn’t been, obviously, that easy. For them to try to come back and play … it’s going to be very challenging and not very safe, if you’re asking me. And I’m sure there are other people that would agree with that.”
2. October 2022: “I don’t play relaxed. Tried that.”
5. January 2025 on all the noise and speculation that mounted this season for him: “You gotta be mentally tough. You gotta be mentally tough. I’m trying to be a parent, a husband first. You know what I mean? This is our job. We come to work and we have stuff to do, and sometimes you don’t perform to the expectations you’re supposed to. And that’s part of the gig. So there’s a lot going on. I’m trying to be present, and I don’t know how I keep hitting that home, but I guess that’s all I can try to do. If I get wrapped up in it, it’s going to consume me.”
6. December 2024 upon his return to the lineup after a 10-game leave of absence: “I am playing tonight, and I really would appreciate if we just stayed away from the reasons why I wasn’t here. I’m not going to dive into the reasons why I wasn’t here the last three, four weeks. So, I’m here with the team, and I am ready to look forward to what’s going to happen in the future, not necessarily what has happened in the past.”
8. May 2024 the night Vancouver rallied from a 3-0 deficit but still lost 3-2 in that Game 7 to the Oilers: “Right now it just sucks to be that close. We’ve got a lot of balls here, a lot of resiliency and we’ve come back a lot of times. And for the game to end like that, I think it’s a good representation — even though we didn’t win — but representation of the culture we’re trying to build here.”
9. October 2022 after being on the ice for all eight goals against in Vancouver’s first two games: “I’m just disappointed. This isn’t about me, I’m not trying to make it about me but I’m not gonna sit here to talk about how we played when I can’t even lead by example right now. … I thought I had a good start (on Wednesday) but I just feel like I’m a little irrelevant. Being on the ice for every goal, I don’t know what to say.”
13. May 2024 after wearing Artūrs Šilovs’ salmon-coloured dress shirt as a practice jersey during the playoff series with the Nashville Predators: “Obviously, if I’ve got a chance to crack at a young guy, that was a good opportunity. But it gave the guys a laugh.”
14. September 2022 after signing his seven-year, $56-million contract extension with Vancouver: “I think it might free me up to play even a more consistent level of hockey to know that there’s a commitment there. So, I’m really excited to be obviously spending this chapter of my life and my hockey career in Vancouver and to get it out of the way before camp, just so I can focus and be clear minded and have a clear head is exciting.”
15. January 2024:“Our results are raising the bar. We talk about a culture and a standard and we’re chipping away at that a little bit at a time. In the long haul, it’s just nice to play the right way. You get rewarded.”
17. March 2023:“I’m happy with working hard and, you know, my good habits are back. If I get a point, I don’t care. I really don’t. I believe when we play like this — if I keep playing like this — I feel like I’m playing pretty darn well in the sense of being responsible, ‘200 feet.’ I just feel like I haven’t had a whole lot of puck luck this year, maybe on both ends, but necessarily in the D zone, too.”
18. September 2022 while preparing for the season: “Some of my favourite players are 200-foot centres and I will try to push myself to care more about my own end. I always do. But if I look at it honestly, I have more to give. It’s making sure I take care of it (defence) first before I go the other way. I’m not putting an expectation on stats and if I play well, I know the offence will come.”
19. January 2020 on the Canucks’ hunt to make the playoffs and what the post-season means from his time in Tampa Bay and New York: “It teaches you a lot about yourself and what the game is like and it’s important to be a sponge — and that’s hard to be. You have to care a lot about each play and every play matters. And you have to have a little bit of amnesia and move on win or lose, good play or bad play.”
20. October 2019 on expectations for his first season with the Canucks after the summer trade from Tampa Bay: “Last year, (the Lightning) told me I was going to play on a role line and I had to buy into that. With that ice time, the production isn’t going to correlate. I thought I had a really good year last year. It just wasn’t on the stats sheet. I kind of came in with a chip on my shoulder. Hopefully the rest will take care of itself.”
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