It’s Actually Miller Time
By: Kevin Dolan
The New York Rangers are not the model franchise in developing young hockey players. JT Miller’s NHL career is barely underway, but his first full season could have a major impact on both his and the Rangers’ future.
The departure of both Brad Richards and Brian Boyle has left the Rangers’ center ice men a little shorthanded. As Miller looks to answer the call, Ranger fans are left to wonder what kind of player he could become.
During the 2013World Junior Championships in Russia, Miller demonstrated why he was the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft. He recorded nine points in seven games with a +5 rating. Even though he was playing with top notch talent, Miller’s part was significant in the team’s success. He centered the first line between North Dakota product, Rocco Grimaldi and the Boston College phenom, Johnny Gaudreau. His scoring touch helped the United States capture the World Junior title and showcased his offensive skills that can make him one of the NHL’s superstars of tomorrow.
With the Rangers encountering strings of injuries over the past two seasons, Miller has been brought up to fill in. However, in Miller’s 56 games of NHL experience, he’s played quite a different role. He has recorded only five goals and ten points. But he has 91 hits in that same span while posting a respectable 52% in the faceoff dot.
A vacant center slot on the current Rangers roster appears to be Miller’s to lose given the Rangers salary cap situation. The real question lies in what situations Alain Vigneault will play the Ohio native and with whom. During his career so far, Miller has been asked to fill a bottom-six forward role and he has done so adequately. If Miller breaks the opening night roster, he will most likely be looking at the third line role behind Derek Stepan and Derrick Brassard. His speed and hard-nosed game could be well suited for leading a tough fore-checking line much like the Zuccarello-Brassard-Pouliot line did this past season. Yet, Vigneault owes it to Miller to give him top-six forward minutes. Miller has demonstrated on each level so far that he can be an offensive force. Plug him in with high caliber NHL talent and his full offensive potential could be unleashed. It remains to be seen if Miller can continue his upward trend and produce on the top level. He could possibly become the number one center the franchise desperately needs, but as mentioned, the Rangers have a knack for producing less than stellar players (see Hugh Jessiman among many draft busts).
Ranger fans should be optimistic though. It is apparent that after his first season in New York that Vigneault puts his players where they’re most likely to succeed. Benoit Pouliot and Anton Stralman are prime examples. Instead of trying to force them into a system, AV focuses on each player’s personal strengths and pairs them with others who complement them. Then he finds a way to craft a strategy that brings out the best in the whole team.
Whether J.T. Miller is destined to become the next Anze Kopitar or the next Sean Couturier, it’s going to come down to Alain Vigneault giving Miller the chance to grow and put him in the spot where he will be most effective to help the New York Rangers win hockey games.
By: Kevin Dolan
The New York Rangers are not the model franchise in developing young hockey players. JT Miller’s NHL career is barely underway, but his first full season could have a major impact on both his and the Rangers’ future.
The departure of both Brad Richards and Brian Boyle has left the Rangers’ center ice men a little shorthanded. As Miller looks to answer the call, Ranger fans are left to wonder what kind of player he could become.
During the 2013World Junior Championships in Russia, Miller demonstrated why he was the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft. He recorded nine points in seven games with a +5 rating. Even though he was playing with top notch talent, Miller’s part was significant in the team’s success. He centered the first line between North Dakota product, Rocco Grimaldi and the Boston College phenom, Johnny Gaudreau. His scoring touch helped the United States capture the World Junior title and showcased his offensive skills that can make him one of the NHL’s superstars of tomorrow.
With the Rangers encountering strings of injuries over the past two seasons, Miller has been brought up to fill in. However, in Miller’s 56 games of NHL experience, he’s played quite a different role. He has recorded only five goals and ten points. But he has 91 hits in that same span while posting a respectable 52% in the faceoff dot.
A vacant center slot on the current Rangers roster appears to be Miller’s to lose given the Rangers salary cap situation. The real question lies in what situations Alain Vigneault will play the Ohio native and with whom. During his career so far, Miller has been asked to fill a bottom-six forward role and he has done so adequately. If Miller breaks the opening night roster, he will most likely be looking at the third line role behind Derek Stepan and Derrick Brassard. His speed and hard-nosed game could be well suited for leading a tough fore-checking line much like the Zuccarello-Brassard-Pouliot line did this past season. Yet, Vigneault owes it to Miller to give him top-six forward minutes. Miller has demonstrated on each level so far that he can be an offensive force. Plug him in with high caliber NHL talent and his full offensive potential could be unleashed. It remains to be seen if Miller can continue his upward trend and produce on the top level. He could possibly become the number one center the franchise desperately needs, but as mentioned, the Rangers have a knack for producing less than stellar players (see Hugh Jessiman among many draft busts).
Ranger fans should be optimistic though. It is apparent that after his first season in New York that Vigneault puts his players where they’re most likely to succeed. Benoit Pouliot and Anton Stralman are prime examples. Instead of trying to force them into a system, AV focuses on each player’s personal strengths and pairs them with others who complement them. Then he finds a way to craft a strategy that brings out the best in the whole team.
Whether J.T. Miller is destined to become the next Anze Kopitar or the next Sean Couturier, it’s going to come down to Alain Vigneault giving Miller the chance to grow and put him in the spot where he will be most effective to help the New York Rangers win hockey games.