How Can New York Rangers Maximize J.T. Miller's Potential?

J.T. Miller is one of the New York Rangers top young players, and he can be a vital part of the team's success in the future. However, up to this point the Blueshirts have not utilized him properly. He has appeared in 15 games this season, but he hasn't been given a ton of opportunities to make a difference for the Rangers.

How can the Rangers maximize Miller's potential?

To maximize his potential, the Rangers need to play Miller in the top six, or send him back to the AHL where he will get some playing time. There is no use sticking him on the fourth line, because it is a waste of his talent.

The latest return of Rick Nash eliminates a spot in the top six, so at this point, sending him back to the AHL would help maximize his potential.

The 6'1", 200-pound center has a ton of offensive ability, and he has already shown that he is a solid defensive player. He uses his speed to tenaciously forecheck, he is willing to block shots, and he never shies away from physical contact.

He also has shown some offensive promise, and he is never afraid to take chances.

Despite his offensive upside, he has been slotted in a fourth-line role, and he has averaged 11:07 a game when he has not been a healthy scratch. Although that is his average, Miller has played less than 10:00 in his last six starts.

This clearly is not the best course of action, because Miller is not going to develop his all-around game sitting on the bench. He has showed solid all-around promise, and he needs to be on the ice to become a better player.

Sending him back to the AHL will allow him to play on the first line, and it will allow him to remain fresh. While Miller may be above playing at the AHL level, nothing bad can come from gaining more experience. 

If anything, Miller may be able to experiment with his offensive side against less talented defenders at the AHL level. There have been occasions in which Miller has tried to get creative at the NHL level, but it was evident that some of his moves required some fine-tuning.

The Rangers were never gun shy about demoting Chris Kreider, but they have treated Miller differently. It appears he is being kept around because of his ability to play defense and kill penalties, but they are wasting his talent.

According to The Hockey News, Miller "has a wealth of speed and offensive acumen, the versatility to play center or wing, as well as the size and grit to play a power forward's game."

Using this description, it is fair to say that Miller projects to be a player in the mold of Brandon Dubinsky, but with more offensive upside. During his Junior career with the Plymouth Whalers, Miller averaged over a point per game, and he clearly showed his ability to be a top-notch two-way forward.

There was a reason he was selected No. 15 overall at the 2011 draft, and that reason was not to play him on the fourth line. It is understandable that players need to earn their stripes and go through the process, but the current course of action is not best for his development.

Miller at the peak of his career could be a solid second-line forward that averages 60 points a year, and the Rangers need to give him an opportunity to prove his worth to the franchise.

Unfortunately, there isn't a spot for him to do that on the current roster, so Glen Sather needs to do the right thing by sending Miller to Hartford, where he will get playing time. After a few weeks, the Rangers can evaluate, and maybe a top-six spot will be open for Miller.

If not, he can finish the year in the AHL, and that could be a blessing in disguise that allows him to further polish his all-around game.

All stats unless noted are via NHL.com