The New York Rangers are in much better shape than they were at the start of the year. Still, there is room for the team to make improvements. The Rangers have had plenty of luck on the road so far this season, going 9-1-1 entering Tuesday night. Unfortunately for the Rangers, they were handed their second loss on the road.
The Rangers lost 3-2 to the Vegas Golden Knights. Rangers trailed the majority of the game, ever since Braeden Bowman scored for Vegas over 12 minutes into regulation. All in all, it was a disappointing result for the Rangers.
No one was more disappointed than Rangers captain J.T. Miller. On the year, Miller has just four goals on the year, which is a bit disappointing considering he frequently put up over 30 goals during his time with the Vancouver Canucks. while speaking with reporters, Miller provided harsh self criticism over his lack of production in his first full season back with the Rangers.
J.T. Miller critical over his scoring struggles
“This year it seems like nothing’s really going in the net,” Miller said, h/t The Athletic's Peter Baugh. “We’ve got a big enough sample size — 25 percent of the season is gone — and we’re in a lot of one-goal games. If I can raise my personal standard and lead the team a little bit better production wise, I think our outcome in these games are going to change.”
If there is one thing to know about Miller, it's that he is going to tell it like it is. That is part of the reason why the Rangers named him captain before the season, as he demands a lot from his teammates. Granted, the latter did play a role in his exit from Vancouver, but he is exactly what the Rangers wanted in their locker room.
The Rangers traded for Miller last year for a package that included a 2025 first-round pick, Filip Chytil, and Victor Mancini. In 32 games with the Rangers, Miller showed how productive he could be for the team, as he notched 35 points (13 goals, 22 assists).
Miller did make it on the stat sheet on Tuesday, as he recorded an assist on the Vincent Trocheck's late goal in the third period to cut the Rangers' deficit to 3-2. But Miller didn't have a single shot attempt in the entire game. He did go viral for a supposed lack of hustle on a Vegas goal.
Miller still has time to turn things around, but with the close losses piling up, the captain is holding himself accountable publicly.