Rangers' Miller playing well, learning from mistakes

NEW YORK -- New York Rangers forward J.T. Miller didn't have to be told why he was sent down to the American Hockey League two weeks into the season, nor did anyone have to inform him why he was scratched four times in a span of eight games from Jan. 16 to Feb. 4.

"I'm not a guy that can afford to take games off," Miller said.

Was he guilty of that?

"Yeah, obviously," Miller said. "You're judged on how you play, it's performance-based, and I definitely don't think I brought it every game at the beginning of this year or last year."

Call it part of his learning curve if you want, but the Rangers were trying to become a top team in the Eastern Conference in the middle part of this season and there was zero trust in Miller's game from coach Alain Vigneault at that time.

Miller knew why.

"Yeah, there were no brain-busters here," he said.

He has fixed the problem to the point where Vigneault has gained enough trust in Miller to move him up the lineup, to the second line, to take over for the injured Martin St. Louis. He has also put him on the second power play unit.

Miller found a home playing on the right wing opposite Kevin Hayes and Carl Hagelin on the Rangers' third line, but his game has stayed consistent since being put with Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello on the second line four games ago.

Miller had four points in his first three games on the second line before being held off the scoresheet in New York's 5-1 win against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.

Beyond production, he just looks like a player who is trying to make a play every time he gets the puck; that's quite different from before.

"I do believe that [his] teammates and [the] coaching staff have got a level of trust in his play that he's going to make the right decision with the puck, and when he needs to come back and come back hard, he's going to make the right reads," Vigneault said. "It's not going to be perfect, but he is getting better."

Miller said the biggest reason for his improved play with and without the puck is because of his skating. In the past he would skate hard and through opponents only part of the time, hence taking games off; now he said he feels he's skating hard and through opponents all the time.

"I think there is a play to be made in every situation no matter who I'm playing with," Miller said. "If you're skating harder it's hard for the D-man to make a decision on whether I can make a play or not. If I go back to inconsistent skating or not moving as fast the D-man or whoever I'm going against is going to know that I have limited availability or options. It all comes down to me skating and being more of a threat when I have the puck."

Miller also said he feels his skating is opening up lanes for Brassard and Zuccarello to get scoring chances. The same thing was happening when he was playing with Hayes and Hagelin.

"He's a big guy and he shoots the puck really hard," Brassard said. "He probably has the best shot on our team."

The best shot?

"I think so," Brassard said. "His wrist shot -- he's a big guy and when he leans into it it's coming hard.

"He's got really good upside in his game and me and [Zuccarello] try to take advantage of his big body. He's going to try to win some pucks for us. Since they put us together I think we've been playing really well."

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