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Hartnett: Rangers Are Being Rewarded For Their Faith In J.T. Miller

By Sean Hartnett
» More Columns

Sometimes the smartest moves are the ones you don't make. The Rangers are finding that out about former first-round pick J.T. Miller.

Last season was a difficult experience for Miller. He was shuttled between New York and minor league Hartford six times. Last April, he received a clear message from Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault.

"He just hasn't earned the right to be at this level on a regular basis," Vigneault said at the time. "He needs to show more commitment on the ice and off. Until he does that, he hasn't earned the right."

Miller had fallen down the depth chart and his name occasionally surfaced in trade rumors. Ahead of 2014 training camp, Miller joined the Rangers in pre-camp informal workouts to change his perception within the organization.

A year earlier, Miller arrived at 2013 training camp one day before it began. That did not go over well with Vigneault and teammates who had been working out informally for weeks. Miller suffered a hamstring pull on the second day of camp, likely due to a lack of offseason conditioning.

This summer, a determined Miller arrived in Greenburgh, N.Y., early for informal workouts ahead of the Rangers' Sept. 18 training camp.

"The only thing I can control right now is what kind of shape I come to camp in," Miller said on Sept. 9, "When it's time to fight for my spot, my goal is to try to stay."

Miller has taken advantage of his chances during the first half of the 2014-15 season. When the Rangers suffered through injuries and illness, it opened a door for Miller to impress. He played center when Derick Brassard missed two games due to a bout with the mumps.

"If somebody goes down, I'm taking on different roles," Miller said.

Brassard, Derek Stepan, Kevin Hayes and Dominic Moore are locked in at center for the Rangers. Barring injury, Miller will spend the rest of the season on the wing.

Since his Nov. 28 recall, Miller has tallied six points, including five goals, in 11 games. That's solid production from a forward whose role has been limited to third and fourth line minutes.

He's impressed Vigneault to the point where the Rangers' coach is praising his work ethic instead of calling it into question.

"I think J.T. is following the normal process of a young player," Vigneault said earlier this month. "Like we've said many times, he has a tremendous amount of upside. He's working hard and soaking in the feedback that we're giving him and trying to make himself better."

It's easy to forget that Miller is only 21 years old. Winger Chris Kreider went through similar growing pains in his early years with the Blueshirts. Kreider has noticed Miller striving to improve his defensive game.

"I think he really focuses on the defensive side of it," Kreider said. "The success you see up and down our lineup is from guys buying into that defense-first mentality, generating chances from making good plays in your own zone and beating someone up ice. It's good, honest hockey. If you do that on a consistent basis, you get rewarded and that's what he's doing."

Miller's offensive potential has always been apparent. In the first period of Monday's 3-2 loss to the Dallas Stars, Miller capitalized on a great feed from Mats Zuccarello, breaking through the middle of the ice to score his first power play goal of the season.

In addition to his high-ceiling offense and improved understanding of defensive aspects, Miller plays with an edge and an in-your-face style. Kreider said he appreciates those aspects of Miller's game.

"He definitely has that," Kreider said. "Up and down your lineup, you want guys finishing checks. It makes it a lot harder for the other team when they're getting rubbed out in the corner. It makes it hard for them to jump up ice and get guys back into the play."

Miller will turn 22 on March 14. He's working hard and staying focused.

"It's definitely still a learning process," Miller said. "I'm taking it day-by-day still, chipping in and filling in when I can. You can never feel too comfortable, but I feel good about it. That's for sure."

Follow Sean on Twitter at @HartnettHockey

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