Rangers made mistakes with both J.T. Miller trades

The New York Rangers have been one of the worst teams in the NHL this season. One player who has taken the brunt of criticism from the media and the fans is captain J.T. Miller. He has had an up-and-down career overall and especially with the Rangers. This is his second stint with the franchise, and after he left the first time, nobody expected him to come back. In this piece, we are going to look at how trading away and trading back for Miller were both mistakes.

Miller Was a Throw-in in the Ryan McDonagh Trade to Tampa

Back in 2018, the Rangers were going through a similar experience to what the team is going through right now. The veteran core that had been around for a while was struggling, and it became clear that changes needed to be made. So, in February 2018, they sent a letter to fans saying they were going in a different direction. It meant that many of the veterans were going to be traded, and that included the captain at the time, Ryan McDonagh.

On trade deadline day in 2018, McDonagh was sent to the Tampa Bay Lightning, but what surprised fans the most was that Miller was also traded in that deal. He was only 24 years old, and many thought he could be part of the future for the Rangers. However, there were many reports at the time saying that Miller had attitude problems and issues with head coach Alain Vigneault. So, they decided to get rid of him in this trade, and while he might not have turned into the player that he did if he stayed in New York, Miller grew into a star and could’ve been a helpful piece during those rebuilding years.

Miller Turned Into a Star Player After Leaving New York

Miller made an immediate impact when he got to Tampa, scoring 10 goals and recording 18 points in 19 regular-season games. He played one more season there before he got traded to the Vancouver Canucks at the 2019 NHL Draft. It was in Vancouver that he took his game to the next level and became a star in the NHL. He scored more than 25 goals in four of his six seasons with the team, scoring over 30 three times and even recording 103 points during the 2023-24 season.

He became a fan favorite in Vancouver and was their top forward during his time with the team. While his time there didn’t end on the best of terms, getting that chance to be the top player on the Canucks made Miller into a star, and he was seen as one of the top centers in the league for a few years. So, when it became clear that they wanted to move on from him, one team that kept popping up as a potential destination was the Rangers.

Rangers Brought Miller Back at the Wrong Time

So, while it could be argued that moving on from Miller when they did might have been a mistake, there is no question that trading back for him when they did was a mistake. Last season, the Rangers were a train falling off the tracks, and general manager Chris Drury decided he wanted to try to fix it by bringing Miller back and making him part of this core going forward. It was like trying to put a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, as nothing was going to save the sinking ship that was the Rangers last season. Miller did play well when he came back, scoring 13 goals and recording 35 points in 32 games, but his good play was not good enough.