JT Miller is back with the New York Rangers after recovering from an upper body injury, but head coach Mike Sullivan made it clear that the veteran is still working his way back to full form.
“I think he’s trying to build his game. I think he gets better as he starts to build timing and his conditioning improves, and things of that nature. But, you know, JT has missed a fair amount of hockey this year with some of the injuries that he’s had to endure.”
Miller returned last Saturday against the Minnesota Wild and, this week, the Rangers have a 1-2 record with him on the lineup. After consecutive losses to the Kings and Devils, there are some concerns around Sullivan’s team.
Mike Sullivan on JT Miller’s performances with Rangers
When asked if the Rangers have seen JT Miller at his best this season, Mike Sullivan was honest in his assessment, emphasizing that there is still another level the forward can reach. “No, I think there’s another level to his game that we know is there. That, obviously, we’re trying to help him capture. I feel like, when he was building traction and traction and getting close every time, we felt like, ‘Okay, his game is where we want it to be,’ is when he got hurt. That’s been unfortunate for his sake.”
Can the Rangers make the NHL playoffs?
The Rangers can still mathematically make the NHL playoffs, but the reality is that they are very close to being eliminated. At the moment, with 64 points, they sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, 18 points out of a Wild Card spot. That gap is nearly impossible to close with only 14 games remaining.
see also
NY Rangers report confirms Carolina Hurricanes are trade suitors for Vincent Trocheck
