After months of debates, rumours and speculation about J.T Miller's future with the Vancouver Canucks, fans finally have their answer: he's here to stay.
The 29-year-old forward reached a seven-year, $56 million contract extension with the organization on Friday, as announced by general manager Patrik Allvin.
With just a few short weeks to go before NHL training camps open, it was unclear whether or not anything in the Canucks-Miller saga would change leading up to the 2022-23 season. As Miller still has one year remaining on his current contract, the Canucks had the option to wait the situation out if needed.
Back in July, president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford had said the Canucks would not feel pressured to deal Miller (if they couldn't re-sign him) until the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. However, Vancouver ultimately opted to figure things out much sooner — locking down their offensive leader after successful negotiations with Miller's agent.
As one could only expect in a Canadian hockey market, the reactions to the new deal were a mixed bag, to say the least. Many fans, media members, and Canucks personalities were pleased to hear about the signing, expressing their approval on Twitter.
And on a non-hockey-related note, Miller's family also welcomed the addition of a new baby on Monday, so fans had more than one thing to congratulate him on.
Others commented on just how unexpected the deal was, especially on a Friday, and even more so, leading up to a long weekend. Not to mention that the trade rumours and signing speculation surrounding Miller and the Canucks had seemed to die down as of recently.
Then there were the not-so-positive takes. Many took to Twitter to voice their worries about the Canucks' decision to sign Miller long-term to a the team that has dealt with cap issues in the past, and arguably struggled to even contend in recent years.
And lastly, there were those who were just happy the conversations around Miller could finally be put to rest... for now.
