Following a deal that sent defenseman Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks last December, the New York Rangers have been without a captain. That changed on Sept. 16 when they gave the honor to newly added forward J.T. Miller. He’s the 29th in franchise history.
The 29th captain in #NYR history: J.T. Miller.
Details: pic.twitter.com/J4ccP1tJRJ
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 16, 2025
Miller, acquired from the Vancouver Canucks in January, is in his second stint with the Blueshirts. He played in New York from 2012–13 through 2017–18 before being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. At the beginning of a rebuild, it was a move that seemingly put an end to his time with the Rangers.
But last season, with the Canucks’ top two forwards, Miller and Elias Pettersson, reportedly clashing, a move had to be made. The center-needy, win-now Rangers were happy to oblige. The 32-year-old had 70 points in 72 games last season and averaged 96 points per 82 games in his previous three. He has some juice left in the tank.
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Miller’s seven-year, $56 million contract won’t expire until the summer of 2030, so he’ll presumably be donning the “C” for a while. This is an interesting pick, seeing as impactful, longtime members of the team, such as Adam Fox and Artemi Panarin, lost out to a player added just a few months ago.
After missing the playoffs last season, the Rangers are hoping that the reworking of their roster can get them over the hump. Since 2022, only the Florida Panthers have had more appearances and wins in the Eastern Conference Final than them.
