Rangers captain J.T. Miller making strides in his game while bidding for spot on U.S. Olympic team

When Rangers captain J.T. Miller was asked a few days ago for his opinion on the news that the main rink at the Olympics might be a few feet shorter than a regulation NHL-sized rink, he declined to offer an answer, pointing out that he didn’t consider himself a lock to make the U.S. team.

Miller played a significant role on the U.S. team in last season’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, and his coach with the Rangers, Mike Sullivan, is the Olympic coach. But he has not had a good season to this point.

Miller, who played in his 900th career game Sunday night against Vegas at the Garden, entered with seven goals and 11 assists in 28 games. At that pace, he’d finish the season with 20 goals and 51 points, which would be his least productive season since 2018-19.

But in just the last few days, things have started looking better for Miller’s chances of making the Olympic team.

One of his competitors for a roster spot, Franklin Square native Shane Pinto, went down with a lower-body injury in the Senators’ loss to the Rangers on Thursday. He’s on injured reserve and expected to miss at least two weeks. With rosters due to be finalized by Dec. 31, Pinto’s status for a roster spot has to be iffy.

At the same time, Miller seems to be turning it up. He had three assists in the game in which Pinto got hurt, and on Saturday, with U.S. Olympic team general manager Bill Guerin in attendance at the Garden, Miller had a strong game in the Rangers’ overtime loss to Colorado, the NHL’s top team. He and fellow U.S. team candidate Vincent Trocheck were matched against Colorado star center Nathan MacKinnon — one of Canada’s top forwards — and played him nearly evenly.

Yes, MacKinnon had two goals, including the winner in the Avalanche’s 3-2 overtime victory. But he wasn’t matched up against Miller and Trocheck in overtime. And in regulation, the Miller-Trocheck line had a goal of their own, scored by Conor Sheary, with Miller and Trocheck assisting.

“MacKinnon is a handful, and he’s big and he’s strong and he’s powerful,’’ Sullivan said. “J.T. is big and strong and powerful also. We just felt it gives us the best chance to try to neutralize one of the more dynamic players in the league. [MacKinnon]’s going to get some looks. He’s too talented. But I thought those guys did a great job against him most of the night.’’

“I feel like the last couple games, the timing’s been better, the puck’s on my stick a little more, and it seemed like before that, I was wasting a lot of energy around the rink, just skating, no timing,’’ Miller said after the game. “And since we’ve been with Troch and [Sheary], or [Jonny Brodzinski], I feel like the timing’s been a little better and we can get the puck below the hash marks, where I like to play the game.’’

All season long, whether Miller has played on a line with Mika Zibanejad or Trocheck, Sullivan has used him to match up with the opposing team’s top forward line. In that context, he might be working in the role he likely would play on the Olympic team, if he makes it.

On Thursday, before the Ottawa game, Sullivan talked about how putting together an Olympic team is different from putting together an All-Star team.

“Our objective is to put the best team together in the true sense of the word,’’ he said. “There’s a difference between an All-Star team and a team — and what I mean by that is we need players that have the ability to bring different elements to the table depending on what situations arise through the course of a game.

“Who’s first over the boards when you’re defending a 3-2 lead in the game and Team Canada pulls the goalie?’’ he said. “Who’s going to take a faceoff on the left side? Who’s going to take a faceoff on the right side? What happens if that guy gets kicked out? What happens if that guy gets hurt? Who’s first over the boards on the penalty kill? Who’s first over the boards on the power play?’’

Miller and Trocheck bring different elements, such as being first over the boards on the penalty kill against Colorado. The PK unit went 2-for-2. Reading between the lines, it’s possible they may be doing that job for Team USA in Milan.

Notes & quotes: Jonathan Quick, who missed the previous seven games with a lower-body injury, started in goal . . . Rookie Jaroslav Chmelar replaced Taylor Raddysh on the fourth line. It was the first game Raddysh has missed this season.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.