The New York Rangers have been on the spotlight in Mike Sullivan’s first year at the helm. A quarter into the NHL season, captain J.T. Miller delivered a powerful confession on his performance, and now Vincent Trocheck is setting the record straight with a powerful message to one of his best friends on the team.
Trocheck and Miller share a strong friendship in the NHL. When the former first-round selection returned to New York through a trade from Vancouver, Trocheck made his excitement clear as he was reunited with one of his closest friends. After Miller issued a sincere admission for Sullivan and the Rangers to hear, the former draft pick by the Florida Panthers issued a heartfelt message.
“So many times people are judging performances based off points, and it’s just, I hate that,” Trocheck admitted, via The New York Post. “As long as you’re doing the little things, that’s all I can ask out of a teammate, right? [Miller] does all the little things, so I truly couldn’t care less if he scored at all. I just want him on the ice.”
Trocheck’s perspective from the outside
After missing 14 games in the 2025-26 NHL season with an upper-body injury, Trocheck had some time to watch his teammates on Sullivan’s Rangers from a distance. Sometimes, a little bit of distance is just what someone needs to truly look at the bigger picture. In Trocheck’s case, it allowed him to confirm what he already thought of Miller’s game.
J.T. Miller #8 of the New York Rangers stretches prior to NHL action.
“I had a month to watch the game from the outside. We need the team to score, obviously. But, me watching [Miller], I mean, he’s a difference-maker every time he is out on the ice,” Trocheck added. “He’s physical, and he could go 60 games without a point, he’s still going to win faceoffs, he’s going to hit guys, going to get to the net. He’s going to play hard and lead by example. Because then it gets in guys’ heads, too.“
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NHL News: Mike Sullivan breaks silence with heartfelt admission upon return to NY Rangers after personal leave
Piece of advice from Trocheck to Miller
For Trocheck, watching Miller get in over his head due to his production is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, he never wants to see a teammate struggle, as the team needs to be fully focused. On the other hand, seeing Miller look crestfallen breaks Trocheck’s heart, too.
“It’s a mental game 80% of the time. Every one of us is going to go through dry spells. I’ll be the first to tell you I’ve gone through hundreds of them in my career. You’re always going to come out on the other side of it. But the more you think about it, the worse it gets,” Trocheck concluded.
The two American forwards have been shoulder-to-shoulder through many battles in their careers, and there is no doubt in Trocheck’s mind that his fellow Blueshirt will push through.