The New York Rangers had a scare as their captain, J.T. Miller, left practice with a lower-body injury, and he missed their preseason game against the New Jersey Devils on Oct. 2 and their game against the Boston Bruins on Oct. 4. The hope is he will be ready to go for the start of the regular season, and New York needs him to be healthy and at his best to have a shot at making it back to the postseason after missing the playoffs last season.
Miller’s 2024-25 Season
After beginning his career with the Rangers, Miller became a star with the Vancouver Canucks. He had his best season in 2023-24, as he finished with 37 goals and 66 assists in 81 games, while winning 56.3 percent of his faceoffs. He led them in points in the regular season and tied for the team lead in points in the postseason as he finished with three goals and nine assists in 13 games.
Last season, Miller struggled to score and also missed 10 games with the Canucks as he took a leave of absence for personal reasons. He was physical and won 58.6 percent of his faceoffs, but was held to nine goals and 26 assists in 40 games. The Rangers then acquired him in exchange for Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, and a first-round pick.
Related: Grading Rangers & Canucks Blockbuster J.T. Miller Trade
Miller immediately helped the struggling Rangers both offensively and defensively. He scored two goals in his first game after the trade, a 6-3 loss to the Bruins on Feb. 1, and had two assists in a 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 2.
One of the Rangers’ issues last season was that Mika Zibanejad struggled offensively and made far too many defensive mistakes. After trading for Miller, they moved him to right wing and played them together. The two quickly formed chemistry offensively, and the move to winger took pressure off Zibanejad defensively, and he cut down on his defensive miscues.
From his first game with the Rangers last season, Miller played with physicality, got in on the forecheck, and drove to the front of the net. He capitalized on his scoring chances and created chances for his linemates. In 32 games with New York, he had 13 goals, 22 assists, 76 hits, and won 57.6 percent of his faceoffs. Three of his goals and five of his assists were on power plays.
Miller’s Role This Season
The Rangers named Miller their captain this offseason, and they need him to pick up where he left off last season and continue playing at a high level. They need him to consistently produce offensively, play responsibly defensively, and lead by example.
When the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy and made it to the Eastern Conference Final in 2023-24, they had two excellent lines. Vincent Trocheck, Artemi Panarin, and Alexis Lafreniere played well together and also spent the majority of last season playing together, and will likely remain together this season.
Panarin’s line did not play as well last season, in part because the Rangers failed to get consistent play from their other lines. Zibanejad struggled defensively and had a down season offensively. Chris Kreider was held to 22 goals last season while battling injuries after scoring 52 goals in 2021-22, 36 in 2022-23, and 39 in 2023-24.
The Rangers are hoping that playing Zibanejad with Miller will help him bounce back and help the team form another line to take some pressure off Panarin’s. After trading Kreider in the offseason, New York also needs Miller to contribute on the power play. He has a very good wrist shot and has already proven to be a skilled playmaker in his second stint with the Blueshirts. During the 2023-24 season, he had 40 power-play points (10 goals and 30 assists).
The Rangers Need Miller to Deliver This Season
There will be a lot of pressure on Miller to help turn the Rangers around, both with his play and leadership, after the team underachieved in 2024-25. They need him to be healthy and play to his potential. He was excellent in the 32 games he played with them last season, and they need him to continue playing at that level and help elevate the play of his teammates for the team to have a shot at making the playoffs this season.
