Rangers Place Captain on Injured Reserve

Miller is week-to-week and is still expected to be a candidate for Team USA’s roster for the Olympic Winter Games in February.

Leadership is His Specialty

According to Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan, Miller’s absence will be felt on the ice, and the team will have to fill the void if it wants to climb the standings.

“I think he’s the leader of this group in so many ways, emotionally with how he plays the game,” Sullivan said regarding Miller. “I think his game was really building, too. … And we’re just going to have to work through that, but J.T. is not an easy guy to replace. He’s a terrific player first and foremost, but he impacts this team in so many different ways.”

In lieu of Miller’s placement on injured reserve, the Rangers recalled forward Brett Berard from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.

Steady Production from the Captain

Through 35 games this season, the 32-year-old from East Palestine, Ohio, has scored 10 goals and added 12 assists. His 22 points rank fourth on the Rangers, trailing only stalwarts Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox.

But as Sullivan noted in his quote, Miller’s impact goes beyond the scoresheet. His presence is felt most through his leadership. When he was introduced as the 29th captain in franchise history, Rangers president Chris Drury said Miller “exemplifies how we want to conduct ourselves both on and off the ice.”

And when the Rangers have struggled, Miller has been at the forefront, pushing the group to be the best version of itself.

“It’s frustrating,” Miller said of the Rangers’ recent stretch of poor play. “I need to do, for me, I guess just a better job. I think leadership, we could all step up right now in games like those and put a better game on the ice. It’s all you can do, is worry about yourself and try to bring the best version of yourself.”

The Rangers are 4-4-2 over their last 10 games and sit sixth in the Metropolitan Division. They’ll look to get back to winning ways Dec. 23 against the Washington Capitals — but they’ll have to do so without Miller at the helm.