Rangers Name Veteran Center New Captain

The New York Rangers named a veteran center as the franchise’s newest captain.

Apr 12, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; New York Rangers left wing J.T. Miller (8) celebrates his goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images / James Guillory-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers have officially found a successor to Jacob Trouba as the team’s next captain. The organization named forward J.T. Miller as the 29th captain in Rangers history.

Rangers General Manager and President Chris Drury made the announcement. In the team’s press release, Drury shared the franchise’s excitement in naming Miller captain and how pleased they are to have him lead the organization under new head coach Mike Sullivan.

“We’re pleased to announce J.T. Miller as the new captain of the New York Rangers,” Drury stated. "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. 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."

The 29th captain in #NYR history: J.T. Miller.

Details: https://t.co/l7UuXpvIK7 pic.twitter.com/J4ccP1tJRJ

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) September 16, 2025

Miller is entering the second season of his second stint with the Rangers, but the organization is very familiar with the veteran center. The Rangers selected Miller with the 15th overall pick of the 2011 NHL Draft. He played the first six seasons of his NHL career in New York, posting a best mark of 22 goals and 56 points in 82 games during the 2016-2017 campaign.

Mar 22, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center J.T. Miller (8) clears the puck against the Vancouver Canucks during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

The Rangers then dealt Miller to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a massive blockbuster that landed the Lightning both Miller and top-four defender and former team captain Ryan McDonagh. He only stayed in Tampa for two seasons before they shipped him to the Vancouver Canucks.

With the Canucks, Miller became the top-line center he’s now viewed as in the NHL. Between the 2021-2022 and 2023-2024 seasons, he posted at least 82 points in three consecutive campaigns. He also reached a career-best 103 points during the 2023-2024 season.

He returned to the Rangers last season in a trade with the Canucks before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. In 32 games with the Rangers after the trade, Miller immediately became the top center man and offensive option for the organization that drafted him. He recorded 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points in 32 contests and finished the year with 70 points in 72 games split between Vancouver and New York.

The Rangers are hoping that Miller is the man to lead this team back to the postseason. Paired with a new head coach and a slightly retooled roster, New York is trying to trade over the wide open Metropolitan Division and return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs before losing their current core of elite players.

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