Rangers name J.T. Miller 29th captain in franchise history

The New York Rangers have officially announced their leadership group for the upcoming 2025-26 NHL season, and their decision continues a recent trend. J.T. Miller will sport the "C" for the Broadway Blueshirts, and he becomes the 29th captain in team history.

Miller is the fifth American in a row to wear "C" for Rangers

Miller inherits the captaincy from Jacob Trouba who sported the "C" for three seasons. Ryan McDonagh was captain for four seasons prior to Trouba, and he took the mantle from Ryan Callahan who also spent three seasons as captain. Chris Drury started the recent trend of an American serving as captain of the Rangers, and he was in that position for three seasons.

The Rangers haven't had a long-time captain in quite some time, and you have to go back to Mark Messier for a captain who was around for more than four seasons. He led the team for six seasons in a row, and then for four additional seasons after returning from the Vancouver Canucks.

Miller was considered to be a top candidate

Miller was a name that had been bandied about by many, and that speaks volumes considering he just returned to the team. Miller has been a vocal figure since re-joining the Rangers via trade, and it became clear that his personality was one the franchise wanted to lean on for leadership.

Miller addition was made to push team forward

The Rangers drafted Miller in 2011 and he broke out as a player during his age 23 season. He was dealt away before the team officially began the transition during its "the letter" period, and took another step with the Vancouver Canucks becoming an elite player producing over a point per game. Miller has returned to the Rangers as an older player, but the hope is that he still has more to give as they aim to contend for the Stanley Cup.

The Rangers want to bounce back in 2025-26, and Miller getting the team back on track is crucial. He appears to be a player who won't feel the pressure of a letter, and given his personality, popularity, and style of play, his selection as team captain makes a ton of sense.