Friday, July 15, 2011

Rangers J.T. Miller Chooses OHL Over Commitment To North Dakota

Yesterday it was reported initially by Kevin Allen of USA Today and then confirmed by Coming Down The Pipe that New York Rangers 2011 first round pick Jonathan ‘J.T.’ Miller will back out on his commitment to play at the University of North Dakota next season in order to play for the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League.
This was always seen as a possibility since he was drafted, but the initial reports were that he was still going to attend UND next year.  There is no telling now whether this is the right move for Miller’s development, but it clearly speaks to his urgency to turn professional as quickly as possible. Miller has said that he wants to turn professional in a year and he must have determined that playing in the OHL gives him the best chance to do so.  In recent years the CHL has been seen as the faster route to the NHL, but it is tough to argue with the history of player development that has gone on at the University of North Dakota.