Captaincy Questioned: J.T. Miller Taking Heat as Season Spirals for New York Rangers

J.T. Miller’s first season as captain of the New York Rangers has been far from ideal. Multiple injuries, offensive struggles, and questions about his effort and attitude at times have combined to factor into a team that was expected to contend, sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference in points percentage.

When Miller returned to New York last year, the fit was seamless, and while the Rangers ultimately fell short of the playoffs, expectations were high heading into the 2025-26 campaign. Instead, things have somehow gotten worse, and the fanbase is starting to turn on their captain.

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Monday night’s 4-2 home loss to the Seattle Kraken was not the response they were looking for after being annihilated 10-2 in Boston by the Bruins on Saturday. Miller was held pointless, and during his postgame media was seemingly at a loss for words, which didn’t sit well with Rangers fans.

One fan wrote:

“Man was I ever wrong about JT Miller. I thought he’d be the first in a line of moves to help change the culture, but he’s been a huge problem. No BS, but the guy plays like a fool, then doesn’t want to answer questions when times are tough? Strip him of the C right now. You can’t change the culture with this guy here,”

The 32-year-old Miller is clipping at well under a point per game with just 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 38 games so far this season. He’s in year three of the seven-year, $56 million contract he signed with the Canucks back in 2022.

What Is J.T. Miller’s Future in New York?

Team reporters Vince Z. Mercogliano and Peter Baugh recently ranked every Rangers player in trade tiers, which saw Miller land in the “NMC guys (all long shots)” category.

When you’re last in the conference in points percentage, everything has to be considered, but given his no-movement clause and the fact that he was just named captain, the odds of Miller going anywhere are slim to none.

They do mention that the organization is concerned about his significant drop in production, especially given his age and the term left on his contract—concerns that are hard to ignore.

That being said, Chris Drury went all in to get Miller, so for better or worse, he will be leading the charge in New York for the foreseeable future.

Next: Rangers May Be Open to Trading Former First Overall Pick