Rangers Demote Miller From Top Power-Play Unit
New York reshuffles its power-play groups after a slump that has the team ranked 18th in the league.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Hockey
The Rangers demoted J.T. Miller from the top power-play unit on Monday, bringing Gabe Perreault up to the first group and replacing Eeli Tolvanen with Tye Kartye on the second. The team entered the day ranked 18th in the league with a 20.0 percent power-play success rate.
Why it matters
The Rangers have scored three power-play goals across their last 21 opportunities since Oct. 13, a 14.3 percent rate, after finishing last season with the fifth-best power-play percentage in the league. Coach Mike Sullivan said he sensed frustration among players and hopes the change will bring a reset.
Miller has one power-play goal and one power-play assist this season and has generated six high-danger scoring chances with the man advantage, while his individual expected goals total of 0.97 is the lowest among forwards on the initial top unit. The data does not indicate whether the demotion will shift those numbers.
The players
J.T. Miller
A Rangers forward whose demotion from the top power-play unit is the central move in the story.
Mike Sullivan
The Rangers head coach who oversaw the power-play lineup decisions and said he sensed frustration among players.
The details
Coach Mike Sullivan had kept the initial five players together on the top unit to open the season before splitting the groups. Miller said the team has been well below its standard on the power play, and Sullivan said a change could bring a reset.
Timeline
Oct. 13: The power-play scoring slump began, with three goals in 21 chances since.
Monday, Nov. 2, 2026: Power-play units were split and Hometown Remix jerseys were unveiled.
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026: The Rangers face the Blues with the revised power-play units.
Season Trajectory
The Rangers finished fifth in the league on the power play last season at 24.7 percent, so their current 18th-place ranking at 20.0 percent represents a clear drop from a strong baseline. The unit shake-up is an attempt to recover that prior level before the standings tighten.
Fantasy managers who rostered Miller for power-play points should expect reduced opportunities with the man advantage while he is on the second unit. Gabe Perreault's promotion to the first unit could shift scoring value toward him for the coming games.
The takeaway
Special teams can shift a season quickly, and a lineup change is the Rangers' most direct response to a power play that has fallen well short of last year's level. Whether the reset works will show within the next few games.
What happens next
The Rangers face the Blues on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, with the revised power-play units, and wear Hometown Remix jerseys for the first time against the Flyers on Nov. 4 and again against the Hurricanes on Nov. 30.
Further reading
Follow more Rangers and NHL coverage for context on how the team's special teams compare around the league.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New York Post.
