JT Miller : Our Brandon Dubinsky clone?

[smoneil]

Oh that's ridiculous. For a long time Dubi was the only way we could get the puck from our end to the other end and he set up plays in the O zone off the carry all the time. And this idea that Callahan crashes the net needs to be further understood; he crashes the net without the puck, he doesn't particularly carry the puck much and when he does he's nothing special.

In the Washington series the only way we ever got into their end was because Dubi took the puck carried it the whole way. I hate this HF boards meme groupthink that Dubi was just a ****ing idiot all the time on the ice.

It's not worth it. Last year's designated goat was compared to this year's new toy. From the second I saw the title, I knew who was going to be in the thread and what they were going to say.

On topic--Miller will be Miller, and it's way too early yet to know what that will be. Don't forget--players change over time. Callahan was a "solid 3rd line guy" until he broke out (and he broke out four or five years older than Miller's current age). Graves wasn't much of a goalscorer before he pulled on a Rangers' sweater. Players grow and change so much (particularly when their age still ends in the word "teen"). Rather than gripe amongst ourselves about who we think he'll be like and such, let's just enjoy the ride.

One thing I've been impressed with already is the fact that he seems very strong/confident. He walks that fine line between confident and arrogant. A lot of young guys would be a mess if they coughed up the puck the way Miller did just before his 2nd goal. Hell, Hagelin is years older than Miller, and I think that hit on Alfredsson messed up his head for the rest of last year's playoffs. Miller went right back out on the next shift and redeemed himself. That's a GREAT attribute in a young player.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

One thing I've been impressed with already is the fact that he seems very strong/confident. He walks that fine line between confident and arrogant. A lot of young guys would be a mess if they coughed up the puck the way Miller did just before his 2nd goal. Hell, Hagelin is years older than Miller, and I think that hit on Alfredsson messed up his head for the rest of last year's playoffs. Miller went right back out on the next shift and redeemed himself. That's a GREAT attribute in a young player.

Great point.

 

[Callagraves]

If Miller becomes Dubinsky, it's huge.

They'll be asked to be a similar role. 2nd/3rd line center/wing who is going to need to forecheck, make plays, impact special teams and score at decent pace. He's going to need to cycle, push the pace of the game, and be very strong defensively.

In short, Miller is going to be asked to exactly the kind of player we needed. We sent off Dubi and Artie. We put Kreider and Miller in their place. Put Cally right back on that wing, and hope for the best.

 

[Drewbackatu*]

Miller is a better skater, has more skill and thinks the game better than Dubi did.

Absolutely right on all points.

 

[*Bob Richards*]

Miller better not have Dubi's brain (or lack thereof).

 

[Callagraves]

Miller has played 2 games in the NHL. If he were better than Brandon Dubinsky, he would have started the season on the Rangers.

I hope what he's doing continues. I'd be a fool to expect a 19 year old to keep this up. He may have to make a trip or two back to CT if he struggles. You HAVE to expect that. You hope he doesn't, but you have to be ready.

Dubinsky is a proven 40-50 point player at the age of 26. And some of you think the kid who's impressing on his 5 game cup of coffee in the NHL is a superior player AT THIS POINT?

Jesus. There is a problem short term focus around here.

 

[One Winged Angel]

Kesler-lite at his best.

 

[One Winged Angel]

He plays a similar game to Ryan Kesler moreso than Brandon Dubinsky, if you ask me. A lot smarter than Dubinsky, more poise with and without the puck, good decision maker, strong on his skates.

 

[*Bob Richards*]

Miller has played 2 games in the NHL. If he were better than Brandon Dubinsky, he would have started the season on the Rangers.

I hope what he's doing continues. I'd be a fool to expect a 19 year old to keep this up. He may have to make a trip or two back to CT if he struggles. You HAVE to expect that. You hope he doesn't, but you have to be ready.

Dubinsky is a proven 40-50 point player at the age of 26. And some of you think the kid who's impressing on his 5 game cup of coffee in the NHL is a superior player AT THIS POINT?

Jesus. There is a problem short term focus around here.

It's the "What have you done for me lately/New Toy" syndrome.

 

[KingWantsCup]

To be honest I would be disappointed if all he became was Dubinsky. That's nice for most teams, but we lack so much skill outside our first line we really need him to be a skill guy not another grinder.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Miller has played 2 games in the NHL. If he were better than Brandon Dubinsky, he would have started the season on the Rangers.

I hope what he's doing continues. I'd be a fool to expect a 19 year old to keep this up. He may have to make a trip or two back to CT if he struggles. You HAVE to expect that. You hope he doesn't, but you have to be ready.

Dubinsky is a proven 40-50 point player at the age of 26. And some of you think the kid who's impressing on his 5 game cup of coffee in the NHL is a superior player AT THIS POINT?

Jesus. There is a problem short term focus around here.

Yeah it's impossible for a 19 year old kid to be on par with the great Brandon Dubinsky. It's possible that he can be Dubi, at least Dubi on an average season. He's 19, just because he may be on par with Dubi doesn't mean that he's playing game 1.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

It's the "What have you done for me lately/New Toy" syndrome.

While that may be true, let's not pretend that Dubinsky heights is some unreachable goal, even at 19.

 

[*Bob Richards*]

While that may be true, let's not pretend that Dubinsky heights is some unreachable goal, even at 19.

No, you're absolutely right. It's just that Miller's two strong games are apparently reason for half this board to ditch Stepan and Boyle.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

No, you're absolutely right. It's just that Miller's two strong games are apparently reason for half this board to ditch Stepan and Boyle.

Unless JT really falls apart and hits a rookie wall I see no way Boyle should be the #3 center over him. With Boyle, no matter who you have with him from this team you only have 2 lines max that are capable of offense. That's a MAJOR hole. I'm sorry a contending team should not have Brian Boyle as the #3 center. He's an excellent option on the 4th line though as a wing to Halpern.

 

[One Winged Angel]

No, you're absolutely right. It's just that Miller's two strong games are apparently reason for half this board to ditch Stepan and Boyle.

No, but Miller is definitely a better 3rd line center option than Boyle.

 

[KasparsHipCheck]

One thing I've been impressed with already is the fact that he seems very strong/confident. He walks that fine line between confident and arrogant. A lot of young guys would be a mess if they coughed up the puck the way Miller did just before his 2nd goal

I definitely agree that he has a confidence and/or arrogance about him. I think this can work in the Rangers favor. It seems like the Rangers are struggling to find balance since they let Dubinsky and Prust go. These guys could play an aggressive game, that so far has been lacking in this years team. The way the team has gotten off to a bad start, they need a spark. Sometimes Dubinsky would loose his composure and take a bad penalty, but you can't say he didn't have fire, which is so lacking it hurts to watch. If they keep him on a line with Callahan I think this could be the spark the Rangers need to wake-up from their post trade coma.

 

[Callagraves]

No, but Miller is definitely a better 3rd line center option than Boyle.

Nothing is definite with Miller. The kid right now is pure X factor. We have 2 games. We have no idea what's in store.

 

[zelrio*]

Utterly amazing how fast you lot are to jump to concluFIRE TORTORELLA

 

[Pizza]

Dubi's biggest problem, (and I somewhat blame Tortorella for part of this), is not understanding the player he was. In truth, he was at his best in 2009-10, when he scored 17 goals in 51 games after returning from his injury. He went to the net, and had the strength to battle for loose pucks. I thought he was on his way to becoming the next generation Adam Graves. But, he forgot what made him successful, and fancied himself as a better playmaker than what he really was. When he was at his best, his goals were being scored with 15 feet of the net. I want more out of Miller than what Dubi became.

From what I heard repeatedly, Dubi and Torts had many one on one's last season. I loved Dubi. I always thought he was one good game from putting it all back together....and it just never happened for him. If the blame for Dubi not getting it rests any where, it is with Dubi himself and no one else.

 

[Thunderhead]

Maybe a bit better. We'll see.

 

[Baby Punisher]

Miller seems much more mature at 19 than Dubi was as recently as last season.

 

[One Winged Angel]

Nothing is definite with Miller. The kid right now is pure X factor. We have 2 games. We have no idea what's in store.

Miller has shown me more in 2 games plus from what I've seen from him at lower levels that he can handle this kind of role. The kid is smarter than Boyle. Is a better skater than Boyle. More offensively skilled than Boyle.

Nothing might be "definite" in a technical sense with him, but he's about as close as it comes to a sure thing in terms of being a better option for the 3rd line than Boyle at this point.

 

[eco's bones]

Selective memories. For the first 3 or 4 years Callahan would bring the puck over the blue line-fade towards the right wing boards and let off a slap shot. He would do this about 80% of the time and every goalie in the league knew it. Maybe Torts is the one that helped him correct that but Ryan also back then would rather take the predictable shot rather than make a play. Drury was another--for a centerman he was not very good about distributing the puck to his wingers. Both shoot first mentalities.

 

[Callagraves]

Miller has shown me more in 2 games plus from what I've seen from him at lower levels that he can handle this kind of role. The kid is smarter than Boyle. Is a better skater than Boyle. More offensively skilled than Boyle.

Nothing might be "definite" in a technical sense with him, but he's about as close as it comes to a sure thing in terms of being a better option for the 3rd line than Boyle at this point.

I've only seen Miller in the WJC and the past two games, I haven't caught any Whale games this year, but I maintain we don't have enough exposure to say for sure what kind of a player/how good this guy is going to be. Is this his best? Is it what we can expect? Is he going to crash hard? We really don't know.

We know Boyle's upside, and we know what he brings to the table. Especially defensively, and especially on the PK.

Is he a better option for the 3rd line we're rolling now? Very much. He and Cally showed instant chemistry, and he and Kreider seem to do well together as well.

But we don't know what he's going to look like in a few games. How he's going to be defensively, how he'll impact special teams.

I'm not saying you're wrong, I'm saying there is no way to know if you're right yet.

 

[Callagraves]

Selective memories. For the first 3 or 4 years Callahan would bring the puck over the blue line-fade towards the right wing boards and let off a slap shot. He would do this about 80% of the time and every goalie in the league knew it. Maybe Torts is the one that helped him correct that but Ryan also back then would rather take the predictable shot rather than make a play. Drury was another--for a centerman he was not very good about distributing the puck to his wingers. Both shoot first mentalities.

Cally's also frustratingly uncreative leading a rush. He either shoots very early, forces a pass, or, and I'm not upset with this, dumps it deep and starts his game from there.

Hopefully hanging out with Brad Richards will develop Miller's ability to breakout on the rush