Nikita Zadorov fires back at fans still blaming JT Miller for Elias Pettersson rift with new details

Nikita Zadorov isn't letting JT Miller take the fall anymore, and he's not being quiet about it.

Speaking on the Cam and Strick Podcast this week, the veteran defenceman was asked about the chaos that consumed the Vancouver Canucks locker room during the 2024-25 season, when a rift between Miller and Elias Pettersson blew up the team's season from the inside out.

Zadorov didn't hesitate to push back on the narrative that Miller was the villain in that story.

He pointed fans toward a Spittin Chiclets golf video as proof Miller isn't the bad teammate he's been made out to be, and made it clear the blame game around the feud has gotten out of hand.

Zadorov played alongside Miller in Vancouver after arriving from Calgary during the 2023-24 season and came away impressed, saying Miller's competitiveness and work ethic on the ice speak louder than any offseason chatter ever could.

The comments land as the Canucks open training camp with a very different roster than the one that unraveled two years ago.

Miller was shipped to the New York Rangers in January 2025 in the deal that brought back Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini and a conditional first-round pick, while Pettersson remains in Vancouver trying to rebuild his game and reputation.

Zadorov himself is no longer part of that Canucks core, heading into his third season with the Boston Bruins.

Still, he says Miller remains one of his favorite teammates from thirteen years in the league, admitting he's blunt and occasionally grumpy but ultimately a winner people should want in their room.

For Canucks fans still relitigating who wrecked that season, Zadorov has a clear message: stop pinning it all on Miller.

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