Canucks’ J.T. Miller Calls Out NHL For Return To Play Plan Amid COVID Outbreak

Canucks forward J.T. Miller does not feel comfortable with the plan for his team to return to the ice on Friday night.

Vancouver has not played a game since March 24 due to a COVID outbreak that saw 25 Canucks players test positive for the virus. Miller avoided the COVID list, and thinks t’s reckless for his team to be expected to play so soon after the outbreak.

“What we’re being asked to do is not going to be too safe, if you’re asking me,” J.T. Miller, the former Rangers forward, told reporters on Wednesday. “It’s kind of frustrating, if I’m being honest with you. We try to talk about the No. 1 priority being the players’ health and their families’ safety, and it’s almost impossible to do what they’ve asked us to do here on our return.”

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The Canucks will now be asked to play 19 games in 31 days in order to complete their full schedule. J.T Miller says his team is no where near ready to complete that task.

“I don’t really feel ready at all, to be totally honest,” Miller told reportersWednesday. “It’s dangerous to a lot of our players. Brutally honest, we’re going to need more time to come back from this to play hockey. Even for the guys who didn’t get (the coronavirus), we’re not ready to play.”

"I don't really feel ready at all." J.T. Miller speaks on the #Canucks current situation.

(Part 1 of 2) pic.twitter.com/JkoV2Esy2O

— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) April 14, 2021

Miller would add that he’s a competitor, and he’ll be suiting up if that’s what’s asked of him. But after the long year he and the rest of professional sports has had, he thinks this ask is too much, and it’s not safe. Despite his skepticism, J.T Miller is trying to keep everything in perspective.

“Mentally, for me, this hasn’t been the easiest year,” Miller said. “I’m coming up on 50 days of quarantine just in this past year. It’s been a rough go for a lot of people, and I’ve definitely been thinking about my teammates and their families every day. I feel fortunate that we weren’t as affected as they were.”

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