The New York Rangers have dropped a second straight game. They have had some struggles this year, but Rangers fans may not have been worried yet. Regardless, the performance of their captain, JT Miller, in a 3-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night may be giving them cause for concern, and Miller was widely bashed on social media for his pathetic effort on one play.
In the second period of the game, Miller was near the puck between Tomas Hertl and Pavel Dorofeyev. He made a lackadaisical effort at the puck in New York's defensive zone, which Dorofeyev came away with. Instead of turning back to the play full steam, he gently skated toward the area in front of the net. Dorofeyev passed the puck to Ben Hutton, who scored with ease, making it a 2-0 game.
From the guy that brought you "No BS", here's some BS.@NYRangersRadio | #NYR pic.twitter.com/1bPxOxMOif
— Steven Pappas (@StevenPappasTV) November 19, 2025
The above post received over 375,000 views and over a hundred comments, and was one of many such instances on social media of criticism directed toward the captain after the poor effort.
One user posted on X: “Been saying this for years – JT Miller is an Amplifier. If your team is buzzing, he's rocket fuel that adds a level. If your team is struggling, he's an anvil that weighs them down even further. Having him lead a team through a rebuild/retool was always a big risk.”
The assessment may be true. He was an anvil to the Vancouver Canucks, with issues in the locker room before being traded to New York last season. This is also not the first time his effort has been questioned.
“JT Miller did this all the time in Vancouver btw. It’s who he is,” another user posted about the play.
When Miller was in Vancouver, fans called him a “petulant child” on Reddit.
The American-born forward has not been as productive as was hoped this season. He has found the back of the net four times while adding six helpers, giving him just 10 points in 21 games.
Further, he has a -3 rating. While players have been known to take plays off, for the Rangers captain to do so when the team is struggling — and considering the fact it led to goal — fans are right to be seething.
Miller and New York will look to get back on track after a day off on Wednesday. The Rangers are 10-9-2 on the season, and will visit the league-leading Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night.
