JT Miller didn't think he would be facing questions about the New York Rangers' struggles so early in his tenure as the team's captain. New head coach Mike Sullivan gave Miller the honor of being the Original Six organization's leader, and many believed it was going to be a bounce-back season for the proud franchise. However, they sit in fifth in the Metropolitan Division with a 2-3-1 record.
One good thing for the Rangers is that their captain's no-nonsense approach is exactly what they need in times like these. His confidence and demeanor will never waver because of a slow start to the season, and the hope for New York is that it carries over to the rest of his teammates. Miller expressed that belief in his teammates after their 2-1 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.
“This is good for us, right now, as a team. We're going to learn from this. We're going to take pride in this,” Miller said. “We're not going to change. We're going to test ourselves. It's going to be good.”
Miller's message is a good one in theory, but they do need something to change. Through six games, the team has just 11 goals, a concerning statistic in a league where high-scoring games are the norm. New York has played three games at Madison Square Garden so far, but hasn't scored a goal for their fans. 10 of their 11 goals have come in blowout wins over two of the league's weaker teams, the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins.
After missing the playoffs in the 2024-25 season, fans believed that a new head coach could bring the Rangers back to prominence. A new head coach needs time to implement his systems, but through six games, the product looks even worse than last season. If there's one city where an organization can't afford to have too many of these seasons, it's New York, and JT Miller and the Rangers must start figuring things out.
