Rangers need a bounce-back season from their captain

In his inaugural season as captain of the team that drafted him back in 2011, both J.T. Miller and the New York Rangers suffered through campaigns each would rather forget. For the Rangers' part, a 34-39-9 record was perhaps flattering given their lackluster overall play and was certainly aided by a late-season "surge" (the Rangers went 10-10 in their last 20 outings) that did nothing to raise them into playoff contention.

As far as Miller was concerned, 17 goals and 53 points in 68 games proved his worst statistical campaign since his one full season in Tampa Bay, back in 2019. His minus-30 rating was by far a career low, the only time he’s ever been in minus double figures in that metric.

Worse than the box score output was watching Miller play. He looked slow and at times meek — something many never thought they would see from the bombastic center. For as many times as you would see Miller, clearly wanting to drag his team back into a game, skating around like a headless chicken trying to create anything, you would see him straight-up give up on plays, 1,000-yard stare, drifting up the ice as if his controller had disconnected.

There were a number of reasons behind Miller’s struggles. He clearly came into the campaign under an injury cloud, missing every preseason game and looked well undercooked come the start of the regular season. As happens to hockey players, he suffered a number of nagging complaints, too. Be it a feeling of responsibility with the "C"  on his sweater, or perhaps a more selfish reason (wanting to prove he was fit enough to play Olympic hockey), Miller simply never found any rhythm.

Looking for a positive start for J.T. Miller and the Rangers 

With Vincent Trocheck now gone, much will fall onto Miller bouncing back with the Rangers desperately short of veteran center depth. Fortunately — injuries aside —  this season should start far more positively for both Miller and the Blueshirts.

For all of his physicality, Miller rarely misses substantial time, playing less than 65 games just once over the past 11 years. It’s reasonable to expect solid health from Miller this season. And he’ll be surrounded with far greater depth of talent.

Coach Mike Sullivan is unlikely to break up his high-scoring Gabe Perreault-Mika Zibanejad-Alexis Lafreniere line, meaning Miller will likely line up with star recruit Pavel Dorofeyev and former Lightning sniper Oliver Bjorkstrand on his wings. Neither will hesitate to shoot the puck early and often; that alone will give Miller more assists. Miller’s crash-the-net style should also set up opportunities for rebounds and tips from his sniping wingers. Miller’s physicality will likewise open up space for his wingers to do what they do best.

There is a chance that Miller may line up with Will Cuylle to his left side, moving Dorofeyev to the right. That could still help Miller, as Cuylle — a checking machine — could provide protection to Miller, allowing a man who scored 30 goals on three occasions and has topped 100 points to operate as more of a skill player. That pair would provide Dorofeyev with all the protection he would ever need.

Sean Durzi, Marcus Pettersson and a healthy Adam Fox, will get the puck moving with fizz. For a player like Miller, who isn’t a Connor McDavid level skater or a Macklin Celebrini wizard with the puck, this is a godsend. He can’t consistently take it from one end of the ice to the other. Throw in Braden Schneider as an overqualified third pairing puck mover, and the Rangers can take a lot of pressure off of Miller and the other forwards.

Miller is known as a player who, for better or worse, wears his heart on his sleeve. We saw the worst of that on a floundering Rangers team last season, when Miller’s frustrations were never far from bubbling over.

With the Rangers looking to improve dramatically this coming campaign, and Miller healthy again, we might see the best of the Rangers' captain both in the box score and as a leader.

The Rangers need a rebound season from themselves and from Miller. The man himself needs it on a personal level, perhaps even more so.