The New York Rangers and general manager Chris Drury will have a lot of pressure to deal with come autumn. So far, the team’s top exec has improved his roster in recent weeks. In the biggest move, New York has brought in star winger Pavel Dorofeyev to help add some firepower.
The Rangers have also added Marcus Pettersson and Sean Durzi to boost their blue line, and Oliver Bjorkstrand to fill out their middle six forward group. The moves, however, are likely not over yet. It was recently revealed that Drury wants to add one more quality forward this summer. Even if New York manages to do this, it is not a guarantee that the additions will work out.
Assuming they struggle to start the 2026-27 season, Drury may look to make a drastic move. In fact, Daily Faceoff’s Arthur Staple believes that the New York Rangers will attempt to offload captain J.T. Miller if the team falters. The former The Athletic writer made the prediction during a recent podcast appearance. Miller has four more years remaining on his substantial $8 million AAV contract.
“I even think that if things go real south this year, they’ll be trying to sell J.T. Miller, even after naming him captain last year,” Staple said on Daily Faceoff’s Tri-State Hockey Podcast. “I feel like wearing the C on the Rangers when things go bad is a full-on bullseye for sure. And you can just look at the recent history of that.”
New York Rangers Need J.T. Miller to Bounce Back This Season
GettyThe New York Rangers named J.T. Miller as their captain ahead of the 2025-26 season.
As Staple points out, the New York Rangers have not been afraid to trade away their captain in recent years. Former captain Jacob Trouba was dealt to the Anaheim Ducks in December 2024. At the time, the defenseman was in the middle of his third season as New York’s top leader. Ryan McDonagh and Ryan Callahan were also traded away while they were captains of the club. The stars were sent to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2018 and 2014, respectively.
Miller has certainly endured a tough time during his second go-around in New York. Statistically speaking, the veteran center recently posted his lowest point-per-game tally (0.78) since the 2018-19 season. The forward also received heat for a lack of effort during a game in November. He then ruffled feathers within the Rangers fanbase by making bizarre comments following a demoralizing loss in February.
New York Eyeing Young Center for the Future
The New York Rangers and Drury likely hope that they do not have to explore a trade involving Miller. After all, he remains a key piece of the puzzle for the club. Nevertheless, the center’s combination of age and salary would become an issue if the team continues to struggle. Miller is New York’s oldest player and fifth-highest-paid player.
The Athletic’s Vince Mercogliano recently reported that the Rangers have to land a young star center for the future. With Miller and Mika Zibanejad both edging closer to their mid-30s, New York should be identifying long-term replacements soon. Miller does have some control over his future, though. The veteran has a 15-team no-trade clause in his current contract with the club.
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