New York Rangers Regular Season Review: Defense
By Conor Power
K’Andre Miller
If you want to talk about breakout players on this Rangers roster, you can start with someone like Filip Chytil but there will be many that jump straight to K’Andre Miller, and with good reason. This has been a season that K’Andre Miller would have dreamed about as a kid. Great offensively, fantastic defensively, and solid in transition means that there was no real downside to his play.
Miller tallied 9 goals and 34 assists for 43 points in 79 games. This may mean it costs the Rangers a pretty penny to extend St Paul, Minnesota native but it will be well worth it for what he has given this organization this season. If he can continue to step that step offensively this postseason, there may be a case for him to be playing on the first pairing next season.
Perhaps the only downside to his entire year was the three-game suspension Miller received for spitting at Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty. Miller has since come forward and said it wasn’t intentional and it must be said it seemed very out of character for K’Andre, but the Rangers need to have their best players in the lineup. Miller can’t be getting suspended again if the Blueshirts want Lord Stanley.
Miller is a pending restricted free agent and this breakout year is going to drive his next contract up a ton. I cannot wait to see the hurdles the Rangers jump through to try and retain his services. They know that this is a defenseman who is on course to become a true stud in this league. If he has a big playoff performance, he is going to be a very expensive player moving forward for the Blueshirts.