The New York Rangers will be without their captain for an extended period after forward J.T. Miller sustained an upper-body injury in Saturday’s shootout win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Miller, 32, is listed as week-to-week after taking a hit to the right shoulder from the Flyers’ Nick Seeler in the third period. The good news for the 14-year veteran is that he should recover in time to be considered for Team USA’s roster for the Olympic Winter Games in Italy in February.
In the second season of his second stint with the Rangers, Miller is fourth in the team in scoring with 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 35 games.
A first-round pick (No. 15 overall) of the Rangers in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Miller has compiled 731 points (270 goals, 461 assists) over 906 games with the Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vancouver Canucks.
“He just means so much to this team,” New York coach Mike Sullivan told reporters on Sunday. “I think he’s the leader of this group in so many ways, emotionally with how he plays the game. I think his game was really building, too; I think his game was really starting to come, especially on the offensive side. …
“J.T. is not an easy guy to replace. He’s a terrific player first and foremost, but he impacts this team in so many different ways.”
