Rangers GM reveals which J.T. Miller characteristic trait made him a perfect fit to be named Blueshirts' newest captain

New York Rangers GM Chris Drury explained the key trait that made J.T. Miller the ideal choice as the team’s newest captain.

The Rangers officially named J.T. Miller their new captain on Tuesday, making him the 29th player in franchise history to wear the “C.” He takes over from Jacob Trouba, who was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in December.

At Wednesday’s press conference, Drury said that it felt like the perfect time to name a captain before camp and that the team had no interest in starting without one.

“Where this team is at, I thought it was an important role -- for us and the process we went through, if we didn’t have the right person, we weren’t just going to name anybody just to say we have a ‘C.’ We have a lot of good choices and J.T. rose to the top.” (per NY post)

Miller acquired from Vancouver at the trade deadline. He put up 70 points (22 goals, 48 assists) in 72 games last season. While his offensive numbers are valuable, Drury said it’s Miller’s style of play that sets him apart.

“The way he prepares, the way he plays, just how hard he competes. He goes over the boards looking to get into a fight and drags people into it, that’s what we need and we’re excited to have him as our captain.” Drury said.

The Rangers open training camp Thursday and kick off the regular season October 7 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

NHL analyst Jeff O’Neill weighs in on the Rangers naming J.T. Miller their new captain

NHL analyst Jeff O’Neill said that naming J.T. Miller captain showed the Rangers were looking for a new style of leadership. He said the Rangers were tired of relying solely on skill and wanted someone who would set the tone with effort and intensity.

"But I think they were so tired of the soft and the soft and the skill and it's like, "We need to have one guy that's going to lead the charge." O’Neill said. (0:47 onwards)

While J.T. Miller can sometimes go over the edge, O’Neill noted that he consistently shows up and brings energy every night. In his view, that intensity is exactly what the Rangers were looking for in their captain.