The New York Rangers Are Shopping J.T. Miller? Not Really.

You guys know that this isn't a corner of the internet where we pass along rumors very often. Unless I can nail down a true source that I trust with the information, I'm not going live with something I hear.

I do, however, like to use this space to sometimes flush out another rumor that just doesn't make sense. And today it's another rumor from Bruce Garrioch, who believes the Rangers are shopping J.T. Miller because he "didn't live up to expectations last year."

This is similar to his assumption that Marian Gaborik was going to be traded for "grit." And while Gaborik was traded (and Derek Dorsett is definitely grit) the reasoning was for two young players with very high ceilings and tons of potential. It was for depth, not grit.

The notion the Rangers have already given up on Miller (who is just 19 years old) after 26 NHL games is ludicrous. It makes no sense. Miller did a lot of things right while he was up with the Rangers. There's a ton of room for him to grow, of course, and his defensive reads down low absolutely have to get better if he wants to make a positive impact next year, but there's a wealth of potential in him. The kid does whatever it takes to win, never even comes close to panicking, will throw his body around, goes to the front of the net and doesn't mind going to the tough areas of the ice to get the job done. He does a little bit of everything.

To assume the Rangers are going to be giving up on him after his time with the big club last year (where John Tortorela gave him some ice time, but not enough to call it a fair shake) is reaching in my opinion.

And while you never know what a team is going to do (after all, the Rangers did trade Gaborik last year) the idea the Rangers would shop Miller because he hasn't lived up to expectations makes no sense.

Thoughts.