J.T. Miller misses the mark by calling out Rangers fans after another home loss

There isn't much for New York Rangers fans to cheer about these days, so those who continue to show up at MSG deserve a little respect. J.T. Miller, however, doesn't seem to see it that way. The Rangers captain made a point to call out the crowd for serenading the team with boos when Columbus pushed their lead to 3-0.

For context, the Rangers had a power-play goal waived off for goalie interference moments before that deficit. When Columbus struck back to make it 3-0, the crowd voiced their displeasure—and they had every right to. While the Rangers eventually rallied from a 4-0 hole to force overtime, and the crowd was vociferously cheering during that comeback, Miller chose to focus on the boos rather than the environment that helped fuel the rally. It completely misses the mark.

The Rangers have been historically bad at home

Following Monday's loss, the Rangers are a dismal 7-15-6 on home ice this season. The last time this team won in regulation at Madison Square Garden was November 24 against the St. Louis Blues. They have now gone 19 home games in a row without a regulation win—a stretch spanning 99 days—and have only three regulation wins in their last 25 games.

Given those numbers, it is no wonder the MSG faithful aren't in a celebratory mood when the team goes down 3-0. Factor in the looming trade deadline, the departure of Artemi Panarin, the uncertainty surrounding Vincent Trocheck, and Adam Fox’s comments about his future, and you have a fanbase rightfully at a boiling point.

Miller has not played to his potential

We know Miller has been dealing with an injury since training camp, but he represented Team USA at the Olympics and has refused to sit out and heal. If you are on the ice, you are open to criticism—and right now, the production simply isn't there.

Miller posted a point-per-game pace last season, tallying 35 points in 32 games after his trade from Vancouver. That hasn't continued. This year, Miller has just 38 points in 51 games. That represents a significant drop-off of 0.34 points per game—a major red flag for a 32-year-old forward locked into a deal with four additional seasons at $8 million per year. Given Miller's regression on the ice and his questionable post-game comments, maybe he should focus on his play instead of calling out the fanbase.

Or, Miller could take the lead from rookie Gabe Perreault who had a perfect response to the event of the evening.

Trade deadline looms

The deadline is this Friday, and the anxiety is palpable. The Rangers have picked up points in their last three games, and while nobody expects them to just roll over, the timing is maddening. The team has been awful all season; picking up points now just hurts their odds of landing a high lottery pick. Fans want progress, not "moral victories" that sabotage the future.