NHL News: NY Rangers captain J.T. Miller issues candid 3-word admission to Mike Sullivan after rough loss against Blackhawks

Mike Sullivan’s New York Rangers were found flat-footed once again. After losing to the Chicago Blackhawks by a score of 3-0, J.T. Miller decided enough was enough. Voicing a bold three-word wake-up call, the captain hopes to right the ship as New York has now lost three in a row in the NHL campaign.

Both the Rangers and Blackhawks entered Wednesday’s matchup on a losing streak. Thus, only one would be left standing after the game. Unfortunately for Sullivan and company, it was New York who got the short end of the stick once more in the 2025-26 NHL season.

Now, Miller has lost his patience. He made that perfectly clear with a blunt statement after the defeat at the United Center. As the Hawks prevailed over the Blueshirts in the Centennial showdown, the Rangers’ captain lit a fire under his team.

“They outcompeted us,” J.T. Miller summarized the outing with just three words, via NHL.com. “Outexecuted us. We had trouble getting on the inside. It’s hard to score when you’re on the outside on the O-zone. They’re a man-on-man team. They kept us on the outside most of the night, created a lot of turnovers and defended well.”

New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan looks on during an NHL game.

Miller pushes teammates to make self-criticism

Just when the Rangers had seemingly found their footing in the NHL, the house of cards has come crashing down. Dragging a three-game losing streak, New York knows it will take more than words to change the tune of their season.

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So far, it’s been disappointment after another. Needless to say, the fans in The Big Apple are growing tired of the team’s broken record-like performances. And so are the players in the locker room.

“It’s frustrating,” Miller continued. “I need to do, for me, I guess just a better job. I think leadership, we could all step up right now in games like those and put a better game on the ice. It’s all you can do, is worry about yourself and try to bring the best version of yourself.”

Snapping the hex

Up next, the Rangers return to Madison Square Garden. However, being back in the City That Never Sleeps may not bring the most joyful memories to the surface. New York has a 3-8-3 record at home in the 2025-26 NHL season—the worst in the league. The means are irrelevant. Right now, the only thing that matters for Sullivan, Miller, and company is getting back in the win column. When the Montreal Canadiens walk into the world’s most famous arena, that will be the main message.