Rangers’ JT Miller activated off injured reserve

The New York Rangers activated captain JT Miller from injured reserve on Thursday, clearing him to return to the lineup against the Buffalo Sabres at Madison Square Garden. Miller had missed seven consecutive games with an upper-body injury sustained on December 20 against the Philadelphia Flyers, a stretch that included the NHL Winter Classic.

Without Miller, New York went 2-3-2 in seven games, picking up six of a possible 14 points. Their overall record now stands at 20-18-6 in 44 games, placing them seventh in the Metropolitan Division and 14th in the Eastern Conference, three points back of the final Wild Card spot.

Before the injury, Miller appeared in the first 35 games of the 2025-26 season, recording 22 points on 10 goals and 12 assists. His total ranks him seventh on the team in scoring and fifth in points per game, despite averaging close to 21 minutes of ice time per night. He has also generated 77 shots on goal. Although his offensive production is at a seven-season low, Miller has contributed in other areas, leading the Rangers with a 59.9 percent faceoff win rate and ranking fourth on the roster with 74 hits. Defensively, however, his minus-11 rating is the second-worst on the team.

Acquired from the Vancouver Canucks last year, the 32-year-old is now playing the first full season of his second tenure with New York. Following the trade, he produced 35 points over the final 32 games of the previous season. Throughout his NHL career, Miller has put up 731 points (270 goals, 461 assists) in 906 regular-season games, along with 56 points in 91 playoff appearances. He was named Rangers captain before this season and was selected last week to represent Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

Miller’s return comes as New York deals with significant injuries to other core players. Defenseman Adam Fox and goaltender Igor Shesterkin both sustained injuries during the Rangers’ 3-2 overtime loss on Monday to the Utah Mammoth. The team placed Fox on long-term injured reserve, ruling him out until at least January 31, and Shesterkin on injured reserve. Shesterkin has started 34 of New York’s 44 games this season, going 17-12-4 with a 2.45 goals-against average and .913 save percentage.

With Fox out, Vladislav Gavrikov is likely to see time on the top power-play unit alongside Miller, Vincent Trocheck, Mika Zibanejad, and Artemi Panarin. In his return, Miller will skate as the second-line left winger with Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere, providing the Rangers with a much-needed boost as they try to stabilize their lineup amid multiple injuries.