NHL

Rangers must decide whether or not to send Miller to minors

J.T. Miller’s audition with the Rangers is just about in its final act.

Within the next couple of days, coach John Tortorella and general manager Glen Sather are going to have to make a decision on whether the 19-year-old center gets the role as an integral part of a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, or if he is best served learning in the minors.

If Miller dresses for the Rangers (7-5-0) tonight against the Islanders (4-7-1) at the Garden, it will be his fifth career NHL game. If he plays one more — the next game being Sunday at home against the Capitals — then the first year of Miller’s entry-level contract will go in effect during this lockout-shortened, 48-game season. That also would mean an accelerated timetable in terms of games played before the arrival of his restricted free agency, then just two more seasons away.

“We think he’s going to be a really good player,” Tortorella said after yesterday’s optional practice. “We’re just not sure how quickly it’s going to come. So that’s our situation as an organization, to watch that.”

Watch they have. In Miller’s first four games, he has spent more time impressing than disappointing, most especially in his first game on Garden ice last Thursday, a 4-1 win over the Islanders. Then, he scored his first two NHL goals and looked entirely at home with the Broadway spotlight in his face and the Broadway Hat atop his head.

But it has not been all roses for the team’s 2011 first-round pick (15th overall), as Tuesday night’s 4-3 shootout win against the Bruins in Boston was probably his weakest performance in a Rangers’ uniform, and he knew it.

“I’m going to need to try and stay simple,” he said one day after playing 12:24 and not registering a shot on goal at the harsh TD Garden. “I’m trying to play my game and not do too much.”

Tortorella also is trying to keep an open mind about the kid from East Palestine, Ohio, who was a star for Team USA in their gold-medal performance at last month’s World Junior Championships, as well as being the youngest player named to the AHL All-Star team.

“You can’t get too excited when things are going really well for a young kid,” Tortorella said. “You can’t get too down on them either when there’s a struggle, and there was a struggle [Tuesday night]. So we’ll just see how it settles, and we’ll make our decision as we go from here.”

One decision would be to take Miller out — either as a scratch or send him down — to reinsert Brian Boyle. The 6-foot-7 center has been a healthy scratch for the past three games, and has at times over the past two years shown himself to have the ability to be a valuable contributor.

“When you’re dealing with a young kid and making sure you’re going through the process the proper way, it has nothing to do with any other player,” Tortorella said. “It has to do with him.”

Another option would be to have Miller and Boyle play for at least one game, sitting either Arron Asham, Darroll Powe or Jeff Halpern. But that is only delaying the inevitable crossroads the organization is at with one of their prized prospects.

“You have to make decisions,” Tortorella said. “Quite honestly, I don’t think we played that well [Tuesday], and a number of guys didn’t. So we’ll see where the lineup is.”

* The Rangers assigned defenseman Steve Eminger to Connecticut (AHL) for a conditioning stint.

After playing three games in a row in late January, Eminger has been a healthy scratch for six of the past seven.