New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury has spent the 2024-25 season retooling on the fly.
A miserable December stretch that plummeted the Rangers out of the playoffs projected little hope with the same group that won the Presidents' Trophy last season and took the Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers to six games in the Eastern Conference Final.
In transforming the fabric of the Rangers in real-time, the most effective addition has been power forward J.T. Miller, who was traded on Jan. 31 for Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini and a 2025 first-round pick.
Miller, who became a household name around the NHL throughout his five-and-a-half years with the Canucks, faced insidious media coverage in the waning months of his time there.
Growing reports of a rift between he and fellow center Elias Pettersson pushed Canucks GM Patrik Allvin to accepting it was an untenable situation.
“A lot of the season wasn't really fun, so I'm just enjoying myself right now,” Miller said to Vincent Mercogliano of USA Today. “It's fun coming to the rink again.”
The 31-year-old has forged a reputation for playing with a chip on his shoulder. Miller is highly vocal and he wears his emotions on his sleeves.
“I definitely come off as angry,” Miller said. “People may not like that, but I don't really give a (expletive) what they think.
“My whole career, I feel like I have something to prove all the time. The second I lose that mindset, I feel like things are going to dip – and they have. The proof is in the pudding there. You never want to feel like you're at a satisfied mentality. I've been like that since I was a kid. I always want more. It’s just a part of my DNA, really.”
Miller's effect on a Rangers team widely regarded as vanilla was instantaneous. Less than 24 hours after the trade, he potted two goals for the Rangers while adding a physical edge to the top of the lineup.
In 18 games with the Rangers this season, Miller has 18 points and 50 hits.
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