Hartnett: AV Must Start Trusting Rangers' Young Gun Miller

By Sean Hartnett
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The Rangers stunk as a whole throughout Sunday's home defeat to the rival Islanders. It was the kind of defeat you can't pin on one guy.

Aside from the high-effort play of recently acquired forward Eric Staal and linemates Viktor Stalberg and Oscar Lindberg, it's hard to pick out more than a handful of Blueshirts who brought their A-game. You could put the Staal line trio, Tanner Glass and Dan Boyle on a slim list of Rangers who did show up.

"We didn't come out the way we needed to," head coach Alain Vigneault said. "If you are looking for positives, we did come back, but at the end of the night, we had one line going tonight. We got nothing from the other guys."

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The Islanders dominated early, outshooting the Rangers 9-0 before the Blueshirts managed to get a shot on goal nearly halfway through first period. Jumping out to a 3-0 lead, the Isles were pinning the Rangers in their own end and played with the kind of energy and cohesiveness sorely lacking by the hosts, though the Rangers did show determination to claw back to within 4-3 at the first intermission.

Despite having a whole slew of underperformers to choose from, Vigneault singled out J.T. Miller. The 22-year-old forward was held out of the final five minutes of the second period and for the first nine minutes of the third. In all, Miller only saw 53 seconds of ice time over the final 24:35, and it came on the fourth line.

"I just didn't feel that his game was good enough tonight," Vigneault said.

It was a curious benching given the kind of difference-making season Miller has enjoyed. Though he is in the midst of an eight-game pointless drought, the 6-foot-1 winger has largely played like a candidate for team MVP for much of the season. Miller's stock has risen in the hockey world to the point where he was recently named as one of 16 initial players for the North American under-23 roster for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. That's a pretty elite class if you ask me.

Although Miller struggled with coverage issues in the first period, the Rangers needed his speed, energy, battle-winning abilities along the boards and his deft scoring touch. Miller's 17 goals only trail Derick Brassard (23) and Mats Zuccarello (21). Even though Brassard scored the eventual game-tying power play goal at 11:39 of the third period, the Blueshirts really needed all hands on deck.

You would think Miller would have earned Vigneault's full trust based on the coach's recent glowing endorsement.

"I see a young man that is definitely growing and understanding more every day what it is to be a pro, and going out there and working hard to become the best player he could be," Vigneault said in early February. "He's putting in a lot of time in his off-ice conditioning, works hard in practice, and he's getting an opportunity right now and he's definitely playing well for us."

In January, alternate captain Marc Staal detailed the differences in Miller's effort level and consistency.

"He's figured out how to play consistently strong hockey," alternate captain Marc Staal told WFAN.com. "He's been one of our more consistent players all year long. When he gets in on the forecheck and separating guys to the puck, that creates space for teammates. He's really effective and found a way to bring that every night. It's a big plus for our team."

"When he gets the puck on the wall, he's making smart plays," Staal added. "Sometimes, it's a more difficult play. It allows us to come out clean. It's a sign of confidence. He's playing with a lot of it now. When you're playing at a level like he has, you deserve to get those opportunities with top offensive guys, starting a lot of draws in the offensive zone and being counted upon in that area. He's worked hard for it."

It was surprising to see Vigneault send a message to Miller in a game that meant so much not only in the standings, but for the Rangers' psyche as a whole. The Isles are now 3-0-0 in the season series and it's very possible these fierce rivals could finish second and third in the Metropolitan Division, setting up a tantalizing first-round playoff matchup.

Benching Miller was like showing up to a gun fight with five bullets in a chamber when six shots are required. It's time for Vigneault to show Miller the sort of trust and support he's given others who've turned in below-par performances at points in a season.

Miller has been a key performer for the Blueshirts. It's time to start treating him like a trusted veteran. He has earned it.

Follow Sean on Twitter at @HartnettHockey