Game #51: New York Rangers vs Boston Bruins Open Thread
Following three days out of action following Tuesday's thumping at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes, the Blueshirts are back on the road for a pivotal matchup in the Eastern Conference wild card race. TD Garden in Boston is the site for this Original Six matchup between the Rangers and Bruins, and this Saturday matinee will provide a key opportunity for Peter Laviolette's squad to bounce back from consecutive losses.
Chris Drury took full advantage of the three days away from the rink, pulling the trigger on a heavily-rumored trade that seemed inevitable, but finally came to pass. The prodigal son has returned to the Rangers as J.T. Miller was re-acquired from the Vancouver Canucks (along with a pair of prospects) in exchange for Filip Chytil, Victor Mancini, and a top-13 protected first round draft pick in 2025. Drafted by the Rangers 15th overall in 2011, Miller played parts of six seasons on Broadway from 2013-2018 before being shipped to the Tampa Bay Lightning shortly after "The Letter" was sent out.
Miller only lasted a season and a half in Tampa before being shuttled along to Vancouver, where he had played since 2019. Having waived his no-trade clause to facilitate a deal, Miller returns to Broadway a different player than the one that was traded away nearly seven years ago, and the Blueshirts hope he can be a spark plug to reignite this season.
Player to Watch: J.T. Miller
The obvious choice, Miller will be in the lineup today after flying in from Dallas where the Canucks played last night. With the No. 10 he wore for the majority of his first stint in New York taken by Artemiy Panarin, and the No. 9 being out of commission and retired, Miller will don No. 8, last worn by Jacob Trouba before he was traded away in December. Miller will look to make an immediate impact in his return to the Blueshirts this afternoon. Keep an eye on the newest Ranger in what will be a key matchup in this critical clash of Eastern Conference wild card hopefuls.
Enjoy the game!
