The Rangers don’t know what to do with JT Miller

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JT Miller may just be the most interesting man on the Rangers (sorry Zucc). After saying just over a week ago that JT Miller would be starting the season as one of the team’s centers, AV has said that Miller will now be back on the wing when the season starts. 

As Dan Rosen points out, this is contingent on the team’s decision with their young pivots. Boo Nieves has been on the Rangers radar for the last couple of years, while 2017 draft picks Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil have impressed Vigneault enough that Miller’s services may not be needed in the middle. With still a week to go until the regular season starts, there is still plenty of time for these youngsters to distinguish themselves from each other. 

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What next?

Should this latest declaration from AV hold true on October 5th, the Rangers could look at keeping the Miller-Hayes-Grabner line together which was very successful last season. This would also force either Nieves, Andersson or Chytil into a role that would either force them to elevate their game, as the team’s third line center, to match the skill level of their teammates.

If Miller does start in the middle, a combination of Andersson, Chytil, Nieves, and Desharnais will all be fighting for the fourth line role. It may seem nice if one of the 2017 first rounders makes the team right out of camp, but if they are glued to a fourth line role with limited ice time, it can stunt their growth. It may serve them and the organization better, in this instance, to send the 18-year-olds back to their Junior or European teams.

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