J.T. Miller Seeks Fresh Start with Rangers After Challenging Season

Rangers captain J.T. Miller acknowledged the start of a new training camp as a potential "nice reset" for the team after a difficult 2025-26 season. Miller, who is back in his familiar No. 10 jersey, downplayed immediate expectations but emphasized the importance of moving past the previous year's performance.

"We're not gonna get ahead of ourselves," Miller stated. "But, Miller admitted, this all 'seems like a nice reset for us.' A time for the Rangers to 'turn the past from last year.' His injury-filled campaign of 2025-26 was marked by three stints of missed time and two trips to injured reserve, resulting in his lowest goal and point totals since the 2018-19 season. These struggles occurred during his first year as captain, a role he navigated while trying to manage the added responsibilities.

This season, the Rangers aim to rebound from a 77-point finish. The roster has seen significant changes, with Vincent Trocheck traded in the offseason and Artemi Panarin dealt before the Olympic roster freeze. Miller, now 33, is expected to play a pivotal role as the second-line center, currently skating alongside new acquisition Pavel Dorofeyev, with Trocheck having moved to Utah.

"It was a lot last year," Miller reflected. "Just a little bit of distraction everywhere, it seemed like, around our team. Obviously with The Letter coming out, I was hurt a lot of the year, I was at the Olympics — just a busy season, and I feel like it’s kinda hard to evaluate. But certainly not satisfied and saying that that’s the standard for myself. I mean, we didn’t get to where we want to be, and I took a lot of ownership of that. I just feel fresh right now. I feel good. And I’m excited that we get another crack at it this year with a fresh slate."

The captaincy brings inherent pressure, a sentiment Miller understands from his predecessors. He indicated a commitment to learning from the mistakes of the previous season, which culminated in the team's trade deadline sell-off and President and General Manager Chris Drury's "The Letter 2.0." Last year, Miller split time between center and wing in the 68 games he played. During the initial on-ice sessions, he was paired with Dorofeyev and Oliver Bjorkstrand.

Dorofeyev, who scored over 30 goals in each of the past two seasons with the Golden Knights, was acquired in a draft-night trade and is seen as a potential key addition for the Rangers.

Head coach Mike Sullivan commented on Miller's play-making ability, suggesting it might be "undervalued by some." Sullivan expressed confidence in Miller's capacity to serve as the second-line center and complement Dorofeyev's scoring talent.

"He has the ability to distribute the puck," Sullivan said of Miller. "I think J.T. brings a physical element and a down-low game, a grind game that I think he can drag his linemates into a little bit so they can create some offense different ways. I think [Dorofeyev is] a guy that obviously can score goals, and so we wanted to see what that looks like."

This role adds to the pressure on Miller to avoid a repeat of last year's struggles and establish a new standard for his second tenure with the Rangers. The opening of training camp brought a palpable sense of energy, with Miller describing the prevailing sentiments as "vibe" and "excitement."

"I feel very hungry," Miller concluded. "I mean, after a year like last year, I just think in general I think I’m naturally competitive — I’d like to be better, I want the team to play better, I want better results."