New
York Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton announced today that the team
has agreed to terms with restricted free agent forward J.T. Miller on a new contract.
Miller, 23,
skated in 82 games with the Rangers this past season, registering 22
goals and 21 assists for 43 points, along with a plus-10 rating and 46
penalty minutes. He established career-highs in several categories in
2015-16, including games played, goals, assists, points, game-winning
goals (five), and plus/minus rating. Miller was one of two Rangers – and
the only forward – who skated in all of the team’s 82 regular season
games during the past season. He led the Rangers in even strength goals
(20), tied for the team lead in game-winning goals, ranked second in
even strength points (39), ranked third in hits (174), tied for third in
goals, ranked fifth in takeaways (40), and tied for fifth in points and
even strength assists (19) in 2015-16.
The
6-1, 206-pounder led the Rangers in points (28) and ranked second in
goals (14) on the road in 2015-16. Miller tied for fourth among NHL
players 23 years old or younger in points and ranked sixth in goals on
the road during the past season. Miller registered 31 points (18 goals,
13 assists) in 52 games from December 12, 2015 until the end of the
regular season, and he led the Blueshirts in goals over the span. He
tallied eight goals in an eight-game span from January 16, 2016 to
February 4, 2016. Miller, who was 22 years old at the time, became the
first Ranger 22 years old or younger to register eight goals in an
eight-game span since Alexei Kovalev during the 1993-94 season.
Miller
skated in all of the Rangers’ five games during the 2016 Playoffs,
registering three assists and four penalty minutes. He tied for the team
lead in assists and ranked third on the Blueshirts in points (three) in
the playoffs. Miller registered three assists during the second period
in Game 2 of the First Round against Pittsburgh on April 16, 2016, tying
a franchise record for assists in one period of a playoff game. He
became the sixth Ranger to accomplish the feat and the first to do so
since Jaromir Jagr in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals in
2007 against Atlanta.
Miller
has skated in 196 career NHL games over parts of four seasons (2012-13 –
2015-16), all with the Rangers, registering 37 goals and 39 assists for
76 points, along with a plus-two rating and 95 penalty minutes.
Miller’s goals, assists, and points totals have increased in every
season from his first season in 2012-13 through 2015-16. He has also
skated in 28 career NHL playoff games, registering 13 points (one goal,
12 assists), along with a plus-three rating and eight penalty minutes.
Miller has recorded seven points (one goal, six assists) in his last
seven playoff contests.
The
East Palestine, Ohio, native has represented the United States in
several tournaments. Miller registered nine points (two goals, seven
assists) and posted a plus-five rating in seven games while helping the
United States earn a gold medal at the 2013 IIHF World Junior
Championship. In addition, he helped the United States win a gold medal
at the 2011 IIHF U18 World Championship, as he recorded 12 points (four
goals, eight assists) in six games. Miller has been selected to
represent Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Miller was selected by the Rangers in the first round, 15th overall, of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
Jul 13 - 4:31pm by MattCalamia
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