Rangers training camp opens with bold new era under Mike Sullivan and J.T. Miller

The New York Rangers kicked off camp this week with a new voice behind the bench and a simple message from Mike Sullivan and Chris Drury: it’s a fresh start.

Sullivan wasted no time showing just how much he’s invested already. Over the summer, he made it a point to connect with players personally — even flying to Sweden to visit Mika Zibanejad. Standing next to Drury at his first press conference, Sullivan summed it up: “I’m probably stating the obvious when I say Mika is a very important player on this team. He’s an elite talent. My hope in seeing him was to get to know him, give him a chance to get to know me, and share my intentions as head coach.”

How It All Fell Apart Last Year:

It’s not lost on anyone why a reset was needed. Last year, the Rangers didn’t just underachieve — they unraveled. It started before opening night, when management worked around Barclay Goodrow’s no-trade clause to dump him to San Jose, leaving a bitter taste in the room. Then came the Jacob Trouba mess, with the captain resisting a trade while the team quietly shopped him. Trouba joked in Anaheim that “it’s a rite of passage to get fired by MSG.”

Kaapo Kakko ripped the team after another scratch and was shipped to the Seattle Kraken. Zac Jones said he felt like he was “rotting away", and was sent to do that with the Buffalo Sabres. Jimmy Vesey admitted he was “dying” without a role before being traded to the Colorado Avalanche. Even deadline pickup Calvin de Haan cracked after sitting out 19 straight games. On the ice, it was no better, a team that had won the Presidents’ Trophy the year before missed the playoffs altogether, dropping 13 of 17 at one point. The final gut punch was dealing away Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks, the heartbeat of the franchise for more than a decade.

That’s the baggage Sullivan inherits which Peter Laviolette left, and he’s come in swinging. Beyond Sweden, he spent much of his summer traveling, sitting down with players and their families, trying to build trust before ever running a practice. Drury loved it. “Different travels here and there to get to know players, it was time well spent,” the GM said. “It gives us a chance to hit the ground running.”

The Mika–Miller Connection:

Sullivan has the résumé — two Cups in Pittsburgh, plus familiarity with guys like Miller, Vincent Trocheck, and Adam Fox from USA hockey play — but what he’s stressing most is relationships. “It starts with relationships,” he said. “We all want the same thing, and we want to win, and we have to work together to make that happen.”

That philosophy is already showing up in his lineup plans. Zibanejad, a career center, is set to start on Miller’s wing. Zibanejad had just 29 points in his first 50 games last year. Once he moved to the wing with Miller last year, he accumulated 33 points in 32 games. Still, Sullivan admitted there’s a balance to strike: “If we put Mika in the middle, we arguably have three of the best centers with J.T., Mika, and Vincent Trocheck. The challenge is, do we have what it takes to surround them with wingers and create the balance we need?”

That balance extends down the lineup. Sully spoke at length about wanting the third line to carve out its own identity — one that can start in the defensive zone against top opponents, limit damage, then drive the puck back the other way to create momentum. Juuso Pärssinen will get the first shot at centering that line, though the new boss emphasized young Finn has to find more consistency.

The press conference also served as the moment to finally check off a long-open box: naming the 29th captain in franchise history. Drury explained that waiting was never an option. “We didn’t really have any interest in starting camp without one,” he said. “We obviously thought J.T. (Miller) was a terrific choice. Just the way he prepares, he plays, and how hard he competes. He goes over the boards, he’s looking to get into the fight, and he drags people into it. That’s what we need.” Miller’s intensity has already left an impression. “He brings people into the fight a little bit,” Vincent Trocheck said. “Having him back there to lead our group will be good moving forward.”

Then there’s Alexis Lafrenière, one of the most prominent swing players on the roster. After breaking out for 57 points two years ago, he slipped back to 45 last season. Sullivan hinted he wants to experiment, maybe even keeping him on his off-wing with Trocheck and Artemi Panarin. Speaking of Panarin, Sullivan called him a “game-breaker” — the kind of player every team game-plans for. He should know because the breadman sent him for an early Summer in Game 7 of 2022, as the Blueshirts rallied from a 3-1 series deficit.

Meanwhile, Drury deflected on any contract talk as he enters the final year of his deal. The hierarchy delivered answers, outlined a vision, and emphasized unity. After a season dominated by drama, they presented a team determined to move forward. The Rangers have their captain, and their new legendary coach has his plan. The message going into camp is simple: last year is over, and next year is here. Welcome back!