BOSTON — This wasn’t quite a repeat of Jaromir Jagr’s infamous debut as a Ranger in Ottawa on Jan. 24, 2004, in which the Blueshirts were hammered 9-1, prompting Bobby Holik to declare, “I believe, fundamentally, we are the worst team in the NHL.”

This wasn’t that bad, it was not a bottom-of-the-barrel performance, but there were tinges of remembrance when J.T. Miller’s return to the Blueshirts was soiled by a 6-3 defeat to the Bruins on Saturday afternoon that also had tinges of remembrance of the bad old days of December.

Miller scored twice, providing tenacity and energy in 18:48 of ice time while moving between center and right wing on a unit that included Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad in his first game wearing the white, red and blue since Feb. 25, 2018 — the day before he was sent away at the 2018 deadline.

This has been a whirlwind for Miller, who arrived here around 3 a.m. on Saturday morning on a flight from Dallas after he had checked into the Canucks room before learning he’d been traded in exchange for a package featuring Filip Chytil.

“It’s been kind of a numb feeling but very excited and very happy,” said the now No. 8. “This was a big game for the team. I realized that when I got here.”

Miller allowed that he was relieved his saga in Vancouver had ended after months of being embroiled in a public feud with (former) teammate Elias Pettersson.

“I would say it took a team effort to find a different place but obviously New York is a special place and couldn’t be happier to be here now,” he said. “Just for my family, even outside of hockey, there, there were 1,000 reasons to want to come here with the hockey team that has been one of the best teams in the league for three or four years in a row.

“I’m excited to be a part of it, trying to get back into the playoff picture.”

Miller had six shots on seven attempts while delivering three hits. He mixed it up in front. The line with Zibanejad and Panarin generated 11 scoring chances, five of the high-danger variety according to NaturalStatTrick.

There was urgency in his game in this contest in which it was urgent for the Rangers to end their pointless streak at two games. Best laid plans and all that.

The 31-year-old, originally the Blueshirts’ No. 15 overall selection in the 2011 draft, has been dropped into an emergency situation. There really was no time for him to adapt or ease into the fray.

“I think when I’m on my game, I have a lot of urgency,” Miller said. “I think that’s a good fit for me.”

The playoff picture to which Miller referred is as problematic as it has been since the end of December. Maybe even worse because the games remaining on the schedule — 31, now — have been whittled down considerably.

The Blueshirts, who face Vegas at the Garden on Sunday, left this match at least five points out of a playoff berth with five teams to pass pending Saturday night’s results. Their 7-0-3 run back to respectability is a thing of the past.

The club, which was beaten in way too many battles all over the ice, failed to defend adequately and received a third straight iffy performance from Igor Shesterkin. The Rangers are on the edge of slipping back into the Dark Days.

Vincent Trocheck, who nearly teared up talking about having “My best friend in the world since childhood,” as a teammate, was defiant though when asked whether this latest slide was concerning.

“I don’t think it’s concerning. I think it’s disappointing,” Trocheck told The Post. “I am not going to let the negativity seep back into this room like it did earlier in the year.

“We know what we’ve got. We’ve obviously seen it, we’ve done it this year and by adding a piece like J.T., things are only looking up. It’s a tough start, but our trajectory is only going to go up from here.”

The Rangers competed well in the first, which ended 2-1 on the other side after Miller had tied the game 1-1 with a dart from the slot. But the Blueshirts were dreadful in the second period, mustering only two shots while consistently outdone in the tough areas by a team that had entered the match after losing consecutive games by scores 7-2 and 6-2.

Combining Miller and Zibanejad produced positive results, but it meant that Jonny Brodzinski would center a third line between Chris Kreider and Will Cuylle that was caved. The Rangers chased the game and never came particularly close to catching up.

Every game becomes vital. If the Rangers can’t stop this, the season will bleed out, regardless of Miller’s presence.

“It’s been one game [for me] and we play again [Sunday],” said Miller, whose goals were his 10th and 11th of the year. “We’ve got to be able to turn the page.”

A little less colorful than Holik.