BREAKING: Rangers Receives ground-breaking news from Neil Smith shortly after J.T. Miller trade

Neil Smith considers J.T. Miller a valuable addition to the New York Rangers, believing he will strengthen their push for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. However, the former Rangers general manager, who led the team to the 1994 Stanley Cup, doubts they will make a deep postseason run this year.

During an appearance on the RINK RAP podcast, Smith told Forever Blueshirts that while the Rangers have improved since acquiring Miller, they still fall short of being true Stanley Cup contenders, even with the skilled and physical center on their roster.

Smith predicts that the Rangers will secure the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference and make the playoffs, but he doesn’t see them making a deep run. He feels their main achievement this season will be reaching the postseason, but beyond that, he isn’t optimistic about their playoff chances.

When asked why he believes the Rangers will make the playoffs but fall short in the postseason, even if goalie Igor Shesterkin plays at his best, Smith remained firm in his assessment.

“I don’t see it,” Smith said. “Shesterkin can win a round on his own when he’s on his game, but I don’t see them having sustained success against the stronger teams in the East.”

Smith’s reasoning partly centers on the Rangers being too reliant on a finesse, east-west style of play. Despite acquiring Miller, Smith thinks the team needs to adjust further, especially before the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline. He feels they don’t attack the net enough and often focus too much on moving side to side in the offensive zone.

He also pointed out that Artemi Panarin’s playoff performances haven’t matched his regular-season success, suggesting the playoffs aren’t suited to his style of play. He expressed concern about the team’s reliance on players like Mika Zibanejad and Panarin, alongside smaller, offensive defensemen like Adam Fox, who may struggle in the physicality of the playoffs.

 

To succeed in the postseason, Smith believes the Rangers need more gritty, hard-nosed players like Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller, along with a presence like Jacob Trouba, who adds physicality and unpredictability to their game.

Neil Smith believes Rangers will have less pressure on them this season if they make playoffs

The Rangers are currently in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, just three points behind the second wild card spot, despite a tough 4-15-0 stretch in November and December. They’ve managed to make up a lot of ground but still face a challenge to pass several teams in the final 27 games to secure a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

Smith believes the Ottawa Senators are strong enough and have a favorable enough schedule to hold on to the top wild card spot in the East. The Detroit Red Wings currently occupy the second wild card spot, with the Rangers, Islanders, Boston Bruins, and Columbus Blue Jackets all competing for positioning.

Despite some “self-inflicted wounds” and “friendly fire” affecting the team on and off the ice this season, Smith still expects the Rangers to make the playoffs ahead of those other teams, especially after acquiring Miller from the Vancouver Canucks.

“One thing the Rangers have going for them for the first time in a while is that there won’t be much downside to their playoffs because they’re not expected to do much,” Smith explained. “Right now, the main concern is whether they’ll make the playoffs. If they do, there will be fanfare just for getting in, and there won’t be the typical pressure. They won’t face the same high expectations they usually do.”

This contrasts with last season, when the Rangers won the Presidents’ Trophy and were heavy favorites to win the Stanley Cup for the first time in 30 years, since Smith led the team to the 1994 championship. In 2022-23, the Rangers were expected to make a deep playoff run after reaching the conference final the previous spring.

The pressure was intense at the start of this season, following their near Stanley Cup Final appearance. However, a rocky beginning to the year dampened those expectations. While the acquisition of Miller has raised hopes, Smith believes the expectations remain tempered.

Now, like many others, Smith is curious to see if Rangers GM Chris Drury has another major move planned ahead of the trade deadline.

“His team is in a better spot now than it was. He did a good job,” Smith said.