Rangers Daily: Blueshirts need more than accountability from J.T. Miller
It was only four months ago that the New York Rangers named J.T. Miller the 29th captain in franchise history. The way things continue to unfold in their centennial season, those four months may feel like 100 years in of themselves to Miller.
That’s especially so after the Rangers lost in such embarrassing fashion Saturday, a 10-2 final which left Miller sick to his stomach.
“That’s as bad as it gets. So, I don’t want, like, I don’t know. The only thing that really matters now is this should sting, like this should suck, like this should make you want to puke. And then respond tomorrow and the next day,” the beleaguered captain stated postgame.
This matinee performance in front of throngs of kids and families at TD Garden was so vile that it should’ve come with an NC-17 rating.
Yes, it was that bad.
And even though Miller scored a power-play goal, he’s as much to blame for what happened Saturday in Boston as the other 19 players who dressed for the Rangers. Each of the 18 skaters was a minus player — Miller finished minus-3 — and goalies Jonathan Quick and Spencer Martin didn’t exactly distinguish themselves either.
As happened many times before in this disappointing season, Miller said the right things afterward, taking responsibility, being wholly accountable. But, really, when do words translate into consistent response? You know, talk the talk, and walk the walk.
“That’s a game where you’re looking for leadership and I got to be better. It’s just unacceptable,” he explained. “Your leaders shouldn’t let games – and I’m talking about myself – get like that. Crowd should never be chanting ‘we want 10.’ Look within. Not try to point fingers and make excuses. It starts with myself and leadership to prevent games like that when you don’t have your best. To not get out of control and hang your goalies out to dry.”
There’s no question that Miller plays hard and gives his all out there. But he’s got 11 goals and 24 points in 37 games. By contrast, he had a career-high 103 points with the Vancouver Canucks in 2023-24, and 35 in 32 games last season after the Rangers acquired him in significant trade Jan. 31.
This season, he’s at the heart of the Rangers’ maddening inability to score consistently. True, he missed nine games due to injury and appeared to play hurt quite often. But Miller is 32 and looks all of those years. And perhaps that C on his sweater weighs him down even more.
What once seemed like a dream scenario for Miller, returning to the Original 6 team that drafted him in the first round more than a decade ago and ultimately named their captain, now appears to have taken a nightmarish turn.
New York Rangers news and analysis
Here are our (many) key Rangers takeaways from that terrible 10-2 loss to the Bruins on Saturday.
Even before the latest unsightly team performance, our Tom Castro urged the Rangers to explore trading Vincent Trocheck.
Ahead of the Bruins game, our John Kreiser looked back at the 5-2 loss to the Sabres, and detailed all the little details that cost the Rangers the chance to win earlier in the week.
NHL news and rumors
New Jersey Hockey Now: Tensions continue to rise across the Hudson River with the freefalling Devils, this one regarding the future of underachieving veteran defenseman Dougie Hamilton. James Nichols breaks down their latest issue to blow up in public for the Devils, whose season appears to be on the brink already.
New York Post: More brilliance from goalie Ilya Sorokin and three points from Simon Holmstrom led the Islanders to another rousing victory, this one a 4-3 overtime win in Minnesota over the Wild.
Daily Faceoff: St. Louis Blues defenseman Philip Broberg sustained an upper-body injury and had to leave their game against the Vegas Golden Knights. This was part of a busy day for Broberg, who signed a six-year, $48 million contract with the Blues on Saturday.
TSN: Oft-injured Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko sustained a lower-body injury in their 5-0 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Daily Faceoff: Golden Knights goalie Carter Hart is week to week with a lower-body injury. He joins Adin Hill as the second Vegas goalie sidelined by injury, leaving Akira Schmid as the starter fot eh time being.
