With the start of training camp right around the corner for the New York Rangers, expectations for the team are going to be a bit higher following a successful summer. However, while the team has improved on paper, they will have to prove it on the ice, and some players will be more important for accomplishing that than others. 

Coming off a year to forget, the mission for New York this summer was to retool. Chris Drury seemingly did a good job accomplishing that by adding talent not only for the future in the draft, but also to improve the squad for next year. 

With the Rangers coming off a last-place finish, the team certainly had to get better. Another bad season could result in Drury’s seat getting even hotter, and one player that he will be counting on to be better is captain J.T. Miller. 

Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center J.T. Miller (8) warms up before the first period against the Detroit Red Wings at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When looking at the roster for the Rangers, one of the players that they are going to be relying heavily on is their captain. Miller was acquired during the 2024-25 campaign after some very successful years with the Vancouver Canucks. However, in his first full season back with New York, the results were not good. 

Overall, he totaled 53 points with 17 goals and 36 assists in 68 games played. The year prior, he was nearly a point-per-game player with both teams, and the Rangers will be hoping that is the version that they see. 

At 33 years old now, there will certainly be some concern that last year was the first sign of some regression. However, he will be playing center for the team in a clear and defined role. 

Furthermore, with either Pavel Dorofeyev or Gabe Perreault on one side of him and perhaps Oliver Bjorkstrand on the other, there will be some nice talent on the second line for him. 

Due to some of the struggles on offense for the Rangers last year, it is imperative that he performs better up the middle on the second line. New York is still invested in him quite heavily for the next couple of years, and they need him to have a bounce-back year in a major way. 

Overall, even though there is a lot of attention on the new faces and what the first line can accomplish, production from Miller this year will be key.