New York Rangers name J.T. Miller captain on the eve of training camp

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NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Rangers named J.T. Miller captain on Tuesday, putting him in the key leadership position three weeks before the start of the NHL season.

The Rangers announced Miller would be getting the “C” on the eve of the start of training camp and ahead of his first full season back with the team that drafted him. They did not have a captain for much of last season after trading Jacob Trouba to Anaheim in December.

New York reacquired Miller in late January in a deal with Vancouver. Miller was one of the Rangers' leading scorers and tied for 13th in the league in points from that time forward.

“Since his arrival last season, J.T. immediately became a leader for our group and exemplifies how we want to conduct ourselves both on and off the ice," general manager Chris Drury said. "Congratulations to J.T. and his entire family on an incredibly meaningful achievement, and we’re confident he will continue to represent our organization with class, commitment and integrity.”

Miller, 32, is the 29th captain in the history of the Original Six franchise. He assumes the role as the Rangers begin a new era with two-time Stanley Cup-winning coach Mike Sullivan taking over behind the bench.

Expectations are high after they missed the playoffs last season, coming off a trip to the Eastern Conference final in 2024. Peter Laviolette was fired, Drury received a contract extension and hired Sullivan before signing defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and trading K'Andre Miller among a handful of roster changes.

The first on-ice session of training camp is Thursday. The Rangers start the season Oct. 7 against Sullivan's old team, the Pittsburgh Penguins.

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