J.T. Miller Embracing the Fight as Rangers Shift Toward a "Retool"
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. - If there’s one constant in this turbulent Rangers season, it’s been J.T. Miller’s willingness to shoulder the weight - both on the ice and in the locker room.
Brought back to New York in a high-profile deal with Vancouver last year, Miller was expected to be more than just a top-line upgrade. The 32-year-old was tapped to lead a cultural shift, stepping in as captain and first-line center, while Mika Zibanejad slid over to right wing to round out what was supposed to be a dynamic top unit.
The expectations were big. The responsibility? Even bigger.
“He goes over the boards looking to get into the fight, and he drags people into it,” Rangers GM Chris Drury said before the season. “That’s what we need. And we’re excited to have him as our captain.”
But now, with the team pivoting toward a “retool” and the front office signaling its intent to sell at the deadline, the Rangers find themselves in a familiar position - playing out the string with 31 games to go and postseason hopes all but gone. And once again, it’s Miller who’s being asked to lead the charge, even if the stakes have shifted.
“I take a ton of ownership for where we’re at as a team,” Miller said after practice Thursday in Southern California. “As the captain, it’s my job, when it’s like this, to make sure our focus is in the right direction.”
It’s not just about keeping the team engaged - it’s about setting the tone. Miller knows how easy it is for a locker room to drift when the playoffs are slipping away. His job now is to keep the group locked in, to lead by example, and to show that there’s still pride to play for.
And lately, he’s doing just that.
After a rough start to the year - one that included a poorly timed injury late in training camp and nine missed games overall - Miller is finally starting to look like himself again. He’s riding a four-game point streak heading into Friday’s matchup in San Jose, with eight points during that stretch, including a two-goal effort in Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Kings.
And while the team has dropped two of its last three, there’s a noticeable uptick in energy and execution - especially from Miller.
The turnaround has come alongside a shakeup in the forward lines. Head coach Mike Sullivan moved Miller off Vincent Trocheck’s line and reunited him with Zibanejad, this time with rookie Gabe Perreault rounding out the trio.
“I think they’ve been excellent for us,” Sullivan said after Tuesday’s game. “Mika’s been pretty consistent… J.T. has had a number of injuries and he’s constantly trying to recapture his game. But I think he’s getting better with every game that he plays.”
Perreault, meanwhile, is growing into his role quickly. “He’s making more plays. I think he’s figuring out how to play with those guys,” Sullivan added.
For Miller, the chemistry with Zibanejad is nothing new. The two had success early in the season before injuries forced Sullivan to shuffle the lines. When Trocheck went down, Zibanejad moved back to center, and the Miller-Zibanejad duo was temporarily shelved.
Later, when the Zibanejad-Panarin pairing started to click, Sullivan was hesitant to break them up. But with Miller needing a spark, the coach made the move - flipping Miller to the wing and reuniting him with Zibanejad. So far, it’s paying off.
Still, Miller isn’t pointing to better health as the reason for his recent production.
“I’m not really feeling a whole lot better [physically],” he said. “But like I said, sometimes when you play well, the pucks go in the net; sometimes you play well, they don’t. I told you from Day One I don’t evaluate myself on points, but obviously it’s nice to chip in and help the team win.”
That kind of mindset is exactly what the Rangers need right now. The playoffs may be slipping out of reach, but the opportunity to build something - to lay a foundation for the next phase - is still very much alive.
And at the center of it all is Miller, dragging the team into the fight, just like Drury said he would.