J.T. Miller Re-Signs with Tampa Bay Lightning on 5-Year Contract

The Tampa Bay Lightning announced Tuesday they have re-signed center J.T. Miller to a five-year deal worth $5.25 million per season.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN provided the yearly breakdown of the contract:

Tampa Bay acquired the 25-year-old along with Ryan McDonagh last February in a midseason trade with the New York Rangers. Miller scored 10 goals with eight assists in the 19 games after switching teams, also adding eight points during the postseason.

Miller played 82 regular-season games between the Rangers and Lightning last season, finishing with a career high of 58 points, including an impressive 35 assists.

He was especially valuable on the power play in both locations, totaling 11 goals and seven assists with an extra man on the ice. Five of those goals came in his short stretch in Tampa Bay.

The Lightning are keeping a reliable player who has appeared in all 82 games in each of the last three campaigns. His ability to win faceoffs (54.3 percent last season) is a bonus.

Although fans might be concerned about the cost, Dan Rosen of NHL.com noted the favorable cap situation:

The Lightning lost the Eastern Conference Final in two of the last three years, and Miller could be the type of hardworking player who can help get them over the top.