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Rangers GM Reveals Reason for Naming J.T. Miller New Team Captain

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Sep 18, 2025 6:21 PM ET

The New York Rangers have a new leader, and general manager Chris Drury says the decision was clear in his eyes.

On Tuesday, the team announced that J.T. Miller will serve as the 29th captain in franchise history. The move comes less than a year after Miller’s return to New York in a deadline trade with the Vancouver Canucks, bringing him back to the club that originally drafted him with the No. 15 overall pick of the 2011 NHL draft.

Miller, 32, replaces Jacob Trouba, who was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in December. Drury said the timing was deliberate, with the Rangers wanting to enter training camp with a captain in place, and explained the reasons behind his choice.

The GM pointed to Miller’s style of play as the deciding factor. While his 70-point campaign in 2024-25 proved his offensive prowess, Drury said it was Miller’s intensity and willingness to stand up for teammates that stood out most.

Drury on naming JT Miller as captain: "We thought it was the perfect time... We didn't have any interest in starting camp without one... He goes over the boards looking to get into the fight and drags people into it. That's what we need." #NYR
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) September 17, 2025

“We didn’t really have any interest in starting camp without one, and we obviously thought he was a terrific choice,” Drury said, per The Athletic's Vincent Mercogliano. “Just the way he prepares, he plays, how hard he competes. He goes over the boards, he’s looking to get into the fight, and he drags people into it. That’s what we need.”

In 32 games with the Rangers after last year’s trade, Miller posted 35 points, including 13 goals and 22 assists, ranking among the NHL’s most productive forwards from Jan. 31 through the end of the season.

Miller also brought a physical edge to New York, recording 76 hits in that span and racking up 18 penalties in minutes, a balance of offense and grit that Drury said embodies the Rangers’ identity and what the franchise needs from its captain.

Originally drafted by New York, Miller spent five full seasons with the Rangers before he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning midway through his sixth year in Manhattan. A little over a year later, Tampa moved Miller once again, this time to Vancouver.

Now, after having returned to Madison Square Garden last year, Miller will take on the largest possible role and one that Drury said matches both his game and his character.

“Since his arrival last season, J.T. immediately became a leader for our group and exemplifies how we want to conduct ourselves both on and off the ice,” Drury said.

The Rangers open training camp on Thursday and begin their season on October 7 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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