Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
J.T. Miller opened Team USA Olympic practice as an extra, and New York Rangers fans felt the sting instantly with the Milan spotlight already blazing.
The early lineup suggested Miller was the odd man out while Vincent Trocheck centred the fourth line.
It’s just one practice, but first impressions stick when the tournament is days away, and for a Rangers captain already under heat, it’s the last thing you want trending.
Miller is still putting up points in a messy season, sitting at 14G-22A-36P, clearly underwhelming stats this season, so it’s no surprise that the captain will be the odd-man out.
First practice for Team USA 🇺🇸 saw some familiar Lines & Pairs from 4Nations.
Top-6 and D-pairs skated together today, bottom-6 is still “projected.”
Jack Hughes is a go, Charlie McAvoy is too, although in a full shield.
Looks like JT Miller is the extra, Trocheck 4th liner in Center #NYR
This is where the extra label matters. It can mean nothing, or it can be a coach’s first clue about trust. Mike Sullivan is coaching this group, so he’s also judging Miller through a Rangers lens whether he admits it or not.
If your routes are late or your shifts get sloppy, you lose time fast on a stacked roster. If your details are sharp, you can jump a line with one good scrimmage sequence.
J.T. Miller’s tension follows him to Milan for the 2026 Olympic
The good news is the Olympics are fluid. Coaches shuffle constantly once they see real game pace.
Miller’s best argument is simple, play with bite, get pucks back, and be the loudest forechecker on the sheet.
Trocheck’s role makes sense too. Fourth-line center can be a weapon in this format if you win draws and keep shifts clean.
If Miller stays extra, the captaincy chatter back in New York only gets louder during the break. If he forces his way into the lineup, it becomes the perfect reset story for a player who needs one.
Either way, Tuesday is coming fast, and Team USA won’t wait for anybody to find their comfort.
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