Player Discussion J.T. Miller Part II

[TheTakedown]

What matters is that Miller is cementing a spot in the line-up and getting regular top 6 time. Last year he bounced around the line-up constantly, being thrown in roles he shouldn't have been. He hasn't left the top 6 since early December.

I still remember the game where Miller really started to look different. Against the Islanders, him and Lindberg came out on their 1st **** and pounded the Isles every chance they got. Miller has been that player consistently and never looked back. 2nd on the team in hits and scoring well at ES.

I'm going to get shot for this. But Miller has been one of the team's best defensive forwards imo.

No, I agree as well. He's backchecking harder than he ever did. He knows how to play the man-to-man system that AV has implemented. he's made every line better, both offensively and defensively. The reason he's been "bounced around" at all recently is to the same degree as Hagelin--he's a spark to every line he touches.

If the following happens, the top 6 will be very strong next year:

- Kreider pulls his head out of his ass and starts playing a north-south game
- Nash starts scoring goals
- Zucc stays hot into next year
- Buchnevich steps in and steps up at the same time

Miller already in the top 4 winger group means we only need one more actual winger for the top 6 to actually have some form--Buchnevich can be that guy. If that happens, prepare to see Nash traded.

This is for next year though. it was clear when the Rangers didn't sign a top 6RW guy that there was never going to be any consistency in the top 6. AV restored to pulling guys from the bottom 6 to "spot check" the top 6 RW spot that was open, and it never worked.

Miller has quietly worked his way up, which has helped a lot. but we need one more

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He's been so good the last few months. I think he's elevated his ceiling.

 

[ecemleafs]

i assume he meant to say thanks guyS in reverence to both michelletti and sam interviewing him in between periods but it sounded like he just said thanks GUY to sam only lol.

 

[Edge]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He's been so good the last few months. I think he's elevated his ceiling.

Perhaps, but we seem to do this every time one of our younger players plays a particularly good stretch of hockey. I worry that doing so creates unfair expectations and in the inevitable letdown when the player returns to more of their "norm."

I like Miller as a 15 goal, 45 point player. If he can make it more like 20/50, you'll hear no complaints from me.

 

[ecemleafs]

Perhaps, but we seem to do this every time one of our younger players plays a particularly good stretch of hockey. I worry that doing so creates unfair expectations and in the inevitable letdown when the player returns to more of their "norm."

I like Miller as a 15 goal, 45 point player. If he can make it more like 20/50, you'll hear no complaints from me.

it would take a hell of a cold streak for JT to only get 15 this year as hes already at 12 and thats at only 22 years of age.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He's on pace for 21+21=42.

With the way he's playing, I think he could get 25+25=50.

 

[Edge]

I'm not referring to what he's projected for at the moment, I'm referring to where he (at least previously likely projected) before his hot streak.

And let me remind the jury that this is EXACTLY what we did with Lindberg the first few months of the season.

I'd just prefer we see how a guy performs beyond a quarter season before we start completely rewriting the book.

 

[Mr Clutch]

I dont think this is just a hot streak. I think this is Jt Miller. Granted hes not gonna score 2 every game, but hes just going to continue to get better with age and experience

 

[FLYLine27*]

This is by far the longest "hot streak" he has has in his career...so i'm starting to get excited that this might not be a hot streak and he is advancing to the next level of his game...

 

[Edge]

I think he's certainly advancing.

I'm very interested to see where it leads, both this season and next.

I'd love nothing more than if Miller, Hayes and Kreider could all figure it out and give us a season where they're all playing up to their potential.

 

[Irishguy42]

I think he's certainly advancing.

I'm very interested to see where it leads, both this season and next.

I'd love nothing more than if Miller, Hayes and Kreider could all figure it out and give us a season where they're all playing up to their potential.

That's a scary offensive trio right there, if they all live up to their potential.

 

[TheTakedown]

That's a scary offensive trio right there, if they all live up to their potential.

honestly, those three on a line would be insanity... Imagine them on a PP unit with Yandle and Shattenkirk?!

If all three of those guys turn into 60 point players, we COULD have something special.

Kreider is really having a horrible year, but Miller's been on the uptick even since the beginning of this year when he was stuffed on the 4th line

 

[Brooklyn Ranger]

I'm not referring to what he's projected for at the moment, I'm referring to where he (at least previously likely projected) before his hot streak.

And let me remind the jury that this is EXACTLY what we did with Lindberg the first few months of the season.

I'd just prefer we see how a guy performs beyond a quarter season before we start completely rewriting the book.

They are in different phases of their career Miller is has played in 4X as many NHL games as Lindberg has. Miller is building on the 120 or so games (plus 23 playoff games) he's already played. Lindberg is just starting down that road. And given the fact that he has more experience that Miller did at this stage of his career, it's possible he'll progress faster than Miller initially did.

Miller certainly needs to keep this type of play going, but it's really beginning to look like he's taken the next step.

 

[Brooklyn Ranger]

I also don't think there's anything wrong with the fact that people here were excited about Lindberg's play at the beginning of the year. Most had not seen him play on TV, much less in person. He started out hot and now has cooled off, but it doesn't mean he's going to get stuck at his current level of play. Daniel Goneau he's not. He has a long NHL career ahead of him.

 

[Beer League Sniper]

Miller is starting to do things in the NHL that I had only ever seen him do in Hartford. He's gaining confidence and legitimately improving. He's one of the only players on the roster who's actually exceeding my expectations.

 

[The Lunatic Fridge]

I hate to be "that guy" in this case but while he is doing good offensively, I'm still very much concerned about his defensive game. He makes some pretty dumb plays out there at times and i feel like it will bite us in the ass during playoff time.

Of course i hope i'm wrong.

 

[RangerBoy]

What type of contract do the Rangers give him? A two year bridge contract which he sees him become a group II again or a longer term deal which eats up arbitration and group III years? The two bridge contract will cost at least $2M and even that number is on the low side. Miller is arbitration eligible.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I never get the people that make it their life mission to temper expectations. So what if we get excited and he doesn't live up to our expectations? We'll survive.

 

[Mac n Gs]

What type of contract do the Rangers give him? A two year bridge contract which he sees him become a group II again or a longer term deal which eats up arbitration and group III years? The two bridge contract will cost at least $2M and even that number is on the low side. Miller is arbitration eligible.

I think we should give investment deals to Miller and Kreider. Lock up their RFA and some UFA years to keep the AAV down. That's how teams have to operate with the current cap situation

 

[JohnC]

I never get the people that make it their life mission to temper expectations. So what if we get excited and he doesn't live up to our expectations? We'll survive.

I think it's for I told you so purposes

 

[RangerBoy]

An accrued season is 40 games on the NHL roster. In the lockout year,it was 30 games. Miller played 26 NHL games that season. Did he spend 30 games on the roster? The Rangers took a year off the ELC playing Miller that season. To become a group III,a player needs 7 accrued seasons of being on the NHL roster for 40 games or 27. He also played just 30 games in 13-14. He played 41 games in the AHL. Did he spend 40 games on the NHL roster that season? Did Miller get credit for an accrued season in each of those years? Miller is 23. He is either 3 or 4 years away from group III?

It's one of the issues with Drouin. TB sent him down him down after spending 38 games on the NHL season.

A two year bridge contract still sees Miller be a group II with arbitration rights. Were the Rangers counting the games in 13-14 because they kept sending him up and down that season?

Look at the number of transactions in 13-14

http://forecaster.thehockeynews.com/hockeynews/hockey/player.php?9007

Twelve times he was brought up and send down

 

[Edge]

I never get the people that make it their life mission to temper expectations. So what if we get excited and he doesn't live up to our expectations? We'll survive.

I'm confused as to what you view as the appropriate course of action? They should smile and agree with the higher expectations all the time?

Couldn't one make a counter argument that if the player exceeds expectations that we'll survive as well?

 

[Edge]

They are in different phases of their career Miller is has played in 4X as many NHL games as Lindberg has. Miller is building on the 120 or so games (plus 23 playoff games) he's already played. Lindberg is just starting down that road. And given the fact that he has more experience that Miller did at this stage of his career, it's possible he'll progress faster than Miller initially did.

Miller certainly needs to keep this type of play going, but it's really beginning to look like he's taken the next step.

I'm not disagreeing.

I'm cautioning that 30 games of the best hockey of his NHL career is a little too soon for us to be assuming these things. If it continues, and he keeps us this level next year as well, that's fantastic.

And I'm coming at this as someone who's always been a pretty big Miller supporter, but who's also seen expectations for our younger players get set a bit high, only to lead to disappointment.

I like Miller, I'm happy with what he's doing. I'm just taking it one week at a time, and one season at a time at this point.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I'm confused as to what you view as the appropriate course of action? They should smile and agree with the higher expectations all the time?

Couldn't one make a counter argument that if the player exceeds expectations that we'll survive as well?

But it's always done in a very "I'm saving you all from future heart break matter". Maybe it's just semantics. "We should temper our expectations" is not the same as "I think your expectations are unreasonable".

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

This is by far the longest "hot streak" he has has in his career...so i'm starting to get excited that this might not be a hot streak and he is advancing to the next level of his game...

Yeah, it's the best he's ever looked. Importantly, the best he's every looked in all aspects of his game. Offensively, defensively, power play, forechecking, transition plays. He's been so good, I can't say enough good things about him.