With the 15th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Rangers have picked forward J.T. Miller out of the U.S. National Development program. Miller was ranked 30th overall among this year's draft prospects at the midterm and is ranked as the second-best American player in the draft. The 18-year-old shoots left and is 6-foot-1, 198 pounds.
Here's more on Miller courtesy of The Scouting Report:
Miller is a very strong, powerful skater and he uses his speed to help him both offensively and defensively. He’s an extremely hard worker and has the ability to get to loose pucks as well as separate the puck from the carrier seemingly at will. Miller has good balance and is strong on the puck when he has it and battles hard when he doesn’t. He’s good along the boards and gets out of battles with the puck. Miller handles the puck well and uses his balance and strength to protect the puck until he makes a play.
He’s not the most creative player on the ice but he does have the ability to make the easy play. Miller’s passing and shooting abilities are at the very least solid and consistent but he does show flashes at times of high end abilities in this regard. Miller plays his end of the ice well and has a physical side that makes him difficult to play against. The knock on Miller was that when you saw him play and admired his skills, you wondered why he did not produce the numbers to match those skills. At times, Miller’s decision making with the puck was cause to question his hockey sense and offensive awareness. He seemed a safe bet to develop into a third line center who could match up against the opposition’s top line. A prospect for sure but the first round may have been a stretch.
Pros: Strong skater, good defensive player, solid skills
Cons: Production has only recently matched skill set leading to questions on hockey IQ.
Skill-set Comparison : Ryan Kesler
The Rangers went a little off the board here going with Miller over Armia, Biggs, McNeill and Grimaldi, but this kid does have a solid skill-set and like always, we must trust in Gordie Clark.
More later.... (Continue following our live blog for the draft here)
UPDATE: Almost forgot, classy move by the Rangers to allow Derek Boogaard's brother, Aaron, announce their pick. That was awesome.
Great with the 15th pick the Rangers draft a kid with the potential to become........ a THIRD line center??? Fantastic!!!!! No we don't need scoring no way do we need Armia, no we don't need a big playmaking center so no McNeil. I'm baffaled by this. They better make a huge deal and get some effin scoring talent on this team because I'm tired of 1 goal outputs and bullshit shootouts! Enough is enough!
Posted by: JohnP | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 09:36 PM
As far as I'm concerned the Ranger management just became the biggest joke in the NHL! Gordie Clark my ass!
Posted by: JohnP | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 09:37 PM
Well, I think the Rangers see something in him that we don't. They wouldn't make this pick just for the hell of it. There has to be something there and a reason for picking this kid.
Posted by: Nick Montemagno | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 09:41 PM
terrible selection..all these bigger dudes going after him...we need size guys.. size. this guy won't cut it. total joke...
Posted by: matt | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 09:55 PM
and i'm reading they're going to go 'balls to the wall' for richards...ugh..yet another drury/gomez/rosival...and the list goes on.
Posted by: matt | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 09:56 PM
Time will tell on this one,the draft is such a crap shoot after the top say 10......2 things you cant teach a player is size and speed and he has both,I trust Gordie.
Posted by: Derek Lucas | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 09:56 PM
Come on Nick, what could they possibly see that no one else has? Just a bad bad pick! We don't need another 3rd line player we have about 16 of them now!
Posted by: JohnP | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 09:57 PM
Your right time will tell but the trick is to shorten the time. But when you read the scouting report it's very disappointing that this kid has the " POTENTIAL" to become a third line player!!! Great he should fit right in with the other 16 we already have!
Posted by: JohnP | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 10:00 PM
hey John, relax, welcome to the world of the Rangers, we draft 'small' this dude is not big..we need BIG forwards!!
Posted by: matt | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 10:03 PM
BIGGS just got drafted by toronto....big power forward, go to the net, nasty, tough...lucic type...wonderful for toronto!!
Posted by: matt | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 10:05 PM
f-ing toronto..took the guy i absolutely think the rangers should have taken!!!
Posted by: matt | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 10:06 PM
If they knew they wanted this kid then why didn't they trade down and get an extra pick? It's not like this guy was a hot commodity. And by the way I have been in the Ranger world since 1966 so I've seen it before and I still don't like it and never will.!
Posted by: JohnP | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 10:08 PM
He would've been a nice fit in the Rangers system but there were some doubts about his overall skill level. He definitely is a whole lot of nasty, though.
Posted by: Nick Montemagno | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 10:12 PM
Well I'm technically not arguing with you... I would have went with McNeill.
Posted by: Nick Montemagno | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 10:13 PM
oh well..been watchin this team since 1970....just don't get, in the east you need big players..so frustrating....i'm done watchin the draft.. i hope toronto outbids us for richards..we don't need a long term contract and get stuck with a guy into his late 30s.. just ask the flyers, that' why they dumped richards/carter.
Posted by: matt | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 10:23 PM
Lots of fans rooting against the Rangers in Richards sweepstakes lol
Posted by: Nick Montemagno | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 10:30 PM
He is 6 foot 1 198lbs now and he is only 18 years old, in 3-4 years when he is NHL ready he will probably be 6 foot 2 and 215lbs a Kesler,Richards type player who won gold at the under 18 and will most likely play at the World Junior tournament in December when we as fans can get a good look at him, dont know how anyone can say all this negative stuff about a player who isnt even fully grown or developed yet but most of all saying all this negative stuff without seeing him play ever.
Posted by: Derek Lucas | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 10:32 PM
and lastly, can't stand this versus station with TSN doing the announcing...'and we have 2 more canadian teams drafting, oh, err, but first we have the hurricanes drafting next' unreal...
Posted by: matt | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 10:33 PM
Strange choice, McNeill or Biggs would have my preferences. Hopefully someone (Gordie) will come out soon and explain this decision.
Posted by: Charlie | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 10:52 PM
He will. There will be quotes posted by media outlets over the next day or two. Will post them here on the blog.
Posted by: Nick Montemagno | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 11:28 PM
Yeah, Canadian bias was gross.
Posted by: Nick Montemagno | Friday, June 24, 2011 at 11:28 PM