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Rangers91Ƶ J.T. Miller scores in return to team day after Vancouver trade

The Canucks sent Miller back to the team that drafted him on Friday
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Vancouver Canucks91Ƶ JT Miller calls out a player during the Vancouver Canucks training camp at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in Victoria, B.C., on Friday, Sept. 13, 2019. The Canucks traded the forward back to the New York Rangers on Jan. 31, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

J.T. Miller91Ƶs return to the New York Rangers became successful very quickly when he scored in the opening period Saturday against the Boston Bruins, a day after he was acquired in a trade from Vancouver.

The Rangers got the 31-year old Miller and a pair of defensemen from the Canucks for center Filip Chytil, defenseman Victor Mancini and a 2025 conditional draft pick.

Originally drafted by the Rangers in 2011, Miller collected a pass in the slot from linemate Artemi Panarin and one-timed a rising shot past Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman, tying the game at 1-1 midway into the period.

Coming to a team that entered the day sixth in the Metropolitan Division fighting for one of the Eastern Conference91Ƶs playoff spots, Miller got some simple pregame advice from coach Peter Laviolette after flying in from Dallas, where he was a late scratch in the Canucks 5-3 loss on Friday night.

91ƵAt the end of it, I just said, 91ƵTake it all in. You now have a starting point of information but focus on just going out and playing hard and having fun,91Ƶ91Ƶ91Ƶ Laviolette said before the game. 91Ƶ91ƵDon91Ƶt think too much. Play first, think second.91Ƶ91Ƶ

Wearing No. 8 and starting the game on the team91Ƶs top line, Miller was also with Rangers winger Mika Zibanejad.

91ƵHe91Ƶs a power forward that can play the game hard,91Ƶ Laviolette said. 91ƵHe can score goals and make plays. He91Ƶs got an edge to his game and plays different positions, so it91Ƶs a big piece.91Ƶ

He spent parts of six seasons in New York before being dealt to Tampa Bay along with defenseman Ryan McDonagh on Feb. 26, 2018.

He wore No. 9 in Vancouver, but that was retired by the Rangers in February 2009 for former player Andy Bathgate, a star during the Original Six era.

In his second year of a seven-year, $56 million deal, Miller was brought in to help bolster a Rangers91Ƶ lineup that91Ƶs struggled after winning the Presidents91Ƶ Trophy a year ago and reaching the Eastern Conference final.

He had nine goals and 26 assists in 40 games with Vancouver this season.





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