<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">JT Miller took part in his first full practice since rejoining the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/how-should-vancouver-canucks-lines-look-when-jt-miller-returns">Vancouver Canucks.</a> However, it’s still unclear if the veteran centre will return to game action on Thursday against the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.</span></p>
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2111" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="329"></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Miller was an extra at practice on Wednesday, and Rick Tocchet would not commit to having Miller in the line-up on Thursday night. Then again, the coach wouldn’t rule it out, either.</span></p>
<h1><span style="font-weight: 400;">What we saw</span></h1>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">JT Miller among the first ones out for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> practice <a href="https://t.co/ANqLjTRPNf">pic.twitter.com/ANqLjTRPNf</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) <a href="https://twitter.com/patersonjeff/status/1866932816556294621?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While Miller rotated into drills during the 30-minute practice, the Canucks skated with the same 12 forwards and in the same deployment they used in Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime loss to St. Louis.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After logging a season-high 23:12 of ice against Tampa Bay on Sunday and following that up with 22:31 against the Blues, Tyler Myers was given a day off from practice on Wednesday. The big blueliner will be ready to play against the Panthers. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Without Myers at practice, the Canucks used captain Quinn Hughes sparingly while Carson Soucy and Noah Juulsen remained together. There was a change among the depth defenders as Derek Forbort skated with Mark Friedman while<a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-scratch-erik-brannstrom-blues-report"> Erik Brännström,</a> a healthy scratch for the first time this season last night, skated with Vincent Desharnsais. Don’t be surprised if Forbort returns to the line-up on Thursday for the first time since November 2nd and is paired with Friedman, who made his season debut last night.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hughes still hasn’t been available to the media since taking a high stick early in the Tampa game. According to Canucks staff, Hughes suffered a severely split upper lip that required significant medical attention, however the captain did not lose any teeth. He was once again wearing a full face shield at practice on Wednesday.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Canucks spent much of practice working on down-low defensive coverage. Assistant coach Adam Foote took charge of most of the drills, often stopping practice to bark instructions and demonstrating to players where on the ice he wanted them to be.</span></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Noah Juulsen getting a visit from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Canucks?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Canucks</a> team pupper Eddie after practice 🐶 <a href="https://t.co/Xa16O3PTSq">pic.twitter.com/Xa16O3PTSq</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) <a href="https://twitter.com/patersonjeff/status/1866947823717020077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the Canucks are feeling the heat of having just four home ice wins in 14 tries this season, it wasn’t all doom and gloom around the rink. In an effort to keep the mood light, players like Noah Juulsen were greeted by the Canucks team puppy Eddie when they came off the ice today.</span></p>
<h1>What we heard</h1>
<p>Rick Tocchet with an update on JT Miller&#8217;s readiness to play: &#8220;He&#8217;s getting close. I don&#8217;t know the exact date, but close is better than long term. He&#8217;s doing really well. We&#8217;ll just kind of chip away and see what happens tomorrow morning.&#8221;</p>
<p>Tocchet on giving Tyler Myers the day off from practice: &#8220;Mysie&#8217;s been playing a lot, I probably could have given it to Hughes but he wanted to skate today and take tomorrow (morning) off. When you have guys playing heavy minutes, you kind of ask them sometimes what they&#8217;d like to do to be ready for tomorrow.&#8221;</p>
<p>Tocchet on Canucks allowing cross-seam passes to burn them on recent penalty kills: &#8220;The unfortunate thing is a few guys are the same guys that are repeat offenders. I think that&#8217;s what upsets the staff and I think we have to make sure we clean that up. I just don&#8217;t like trends. If you&#8217;re a guy on the ice and you&#8217;re giving up that guts of the ice play a couple of times in two or three games, you have to clean it up.&#8221;</p>
<p>Derek Forbort feels he&#8217;s ready to return to the line-up for the first time in six weeks: &#8220;Yeah, I told Tocc a couple of days ago that I&#8217;m ready whenever you need me. I&#8217;ve been doing so many rehab skates, my body feels like it&#8217;s in January. They do a great job when you are hurt keeping it fun and making it exciting to come to the rink even when the boys are on the road and you&#8217;re kind of by yourself.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>Sponsored by bet365</strong></p>
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="329" data-promotion-id="19111" data-context="web-content-promocard"></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>


<span style="font-weight: 400;">JT Miller took part in his first full practice since rejoining the <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/how-should-vancouver-canucks-lines-look-when-jt-miller-returns">Vancouver Canucks.</a> However, it’s still unclear if the veteran centre will return to game action on Thursday against the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.</span>
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2111" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="329"></div>
&nbsp;

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Miller was an extra at practice on Wednesday, and Rick Tocchet would not commit to having Miller in the line-up on Thursday night. Then again, the coach wouldn’t rule it out, either.</span>
<h1><span style="font-weight: 400;">What we saw</span></h1>
https://twitter.com/patersonjeff/status/1866932816556294621

<span style="font-weight: 400;">While Miller rotated into drills during the 30-minute practice, the Canucks skated with the same 12 forwards and in the same deployment they used in Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime loss to St. Louis.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">After logging a season-high 23:12 of ice against Tampa Bay on Sunday and following that up with 22:31 against the Blues, Tyler Myers was given a day off from practice on Wednesday. The big blueliner will be ready to play against the Panthers. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Without Myers at practice, the Canucks used captain Quinn Hughes sparingly while Carson Soucy and Noah Juulsen remained together. There was a change among the depth defenders as Derek Forbort skated with Mark Friedman while<a href="https://canucksarmy.com/news/vancouver-canucks-scratch-erik-brannstrom-blues-report"> Erik Brännström,</a> a healthy scratch for the first time this season last night, skated with Vincent Desharnsais. Don’t be surprised if Forbort returns to the line-up on Thursday for the first time since November 2nd and is paired with Friedman, who made his season debut last night.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Hughes still hasn’t been available to the media since taking a high stick early in the Tampa game. According to Canucks staff, Hughes suffered a severely split upper lip that required significant medical attention, however the captain did not lose any teeth. He was once again wearing a full face shield at practice on Wednesday.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The Canucks spent much of practice working on down-low defensive coverage. Assistant coach Adam Foote took charge of most of the drills, often stopping practice to bark instructions and demonstrating to players where on the ice he wanted them to be.</span>

https://twitter.com/patersonjeff/status/1866947823717020077

<span style="font-weight: 400;">While the Canucks are feeling the heat of having just four home ice wins in 14 tries this season, it wasn’t all doom and gloom around the rink. In an effort to keep the mood light, players like Noah Juulsen were greeted by the Canucks team puppy Eddie when they came off the ice today.</span>
<h1>What we heard</h1>
Rick Tocchet with an update on JT Miller's readiness to play: "He's getting close. I don't know the exact date, but close is better than long term. He's doing really well. We'll just kind of chip away and see what happens tomorrow morning."

Tocchet on giving Tyler Myers the day off from practice: "Mysie's been playing a lot, I probably could have given it to Hughes but he wanted to skate today and take tomorrow (morning) off. When you have guys playing heavy minutes, you kind of ask them sometimes what they'd like to do to be ready for tomorrow."

Tocchet on Canucks allowing cross-seam passes to burn them on recent penalty kills: "The unfortunate thing is a few guys are the same guys that are repeat offenders. I think that's what upsets the staff and I think we have to make sure we clean that up. I just don't like trends. If you're a guy on the ice and you're giving up that guts of the ice play a couple of times in two or three games, you have to clean it up."

Derek Forbort feels he's ready to return to the line-up for the first time in six weeks: "Yeah, I told Tocc a couple of days ago that I'm ready whenever you need me. I've been doing so many rehab skates, my body feels like it's in January. They do a great job when you are hurt keeping it fun and making it exciting to come to the rink even when the boys are on the road and you're kind of by yourself."

<strong>Sponsored by bet365</strong>
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="329" data-promotion-id="19111" data-context="web-content-promocard"></div>
&nbsp;

Scenes from Canucks practice: Miller skates as an extra & maintenance day for Myers

Instant Reaction: Canucks hardly test AHL journeyman Tokarski, shutout by tired Hurricanes team

The 5 biggest stories from the Canucks’ first half of the 24-25 NHL season

Vancouver Canucks forward Nils Hoglander (21) battles with Calgary Flames defenseman Rasmus Andersson (4) during the second period at Rogers Arena.

Recent articles from Jeff Paterson

Breaking News