Former Divisive Canuck J.T. Miller Drops Candid Message After Becoming the Face of the New York Rangers

"I was a little bit surprised, but what I think they are saying here is that last year was not acceptable and they want to completely turn the page on it. To be honest, Don, I thought they would go with Trochek, I really did. I thought he was going to be the guy, but they didn't and basically I think it was the New York Rangers saying 'what happened last year is over, what happened last year was unacceptable and we are going to turn the page and that's why we're going to have a new player or relatively new player wear the captain's C, someone who really wasn't tied into last year.'" Friedman said.

"It's been a special couple days for my family for sure. It was ingrained in me at a young age what it means to be a captain around here and I'm just super thankful and lucky to represent the group like that." Miller said.

He added, "I've had a lot of great captains. I think the ones that stick out are the ones I had here first, (McDonagh) and (Callahan), still very close with those guys," Miller said. "Just trying to be a sponge as a young guy around those guys and learn a lot about the way they play. Just absolute warriors of the game."

"I wanna be me. I've been given a lot of good advice from (head coach) Mike (Sullivan) and Chris (Drury) in the last little bit here about, 'We want you to be yourself,' and for me, that means a lot," Miller said.