
The New York Rangers entered the 2017-18 season with a new look.
The Blueshirts saw two core pieces leave the team — Dan Girardi and Derek Stepan. That left room for current players to come in and fill the leadership roles the team needed.
With the vacancies, J.T. Miller saw the opportunity to step in and take on a bigger role with New York.
"The more you play, the more experience you get. You have to take on more of a role," Miller said. "I’ve been around these guys for a handful of years now, and I understand what it takes. It’s just a matter of bringing that on a consistent basis for the team."
Miller’s path to elevate his game started in the gym during the offseason. The East Palestine, Ohio, native took lessons from his first few seasons in the National Hockey League and used them to better himself.