Starting In The AHL Is The Best Move For Rangers Prospect K’Andre Miller

K’Andre Miller has a bright future as a New York Ranger. But now that he’s signed his entry-level contract, it’s up to his new professional club to resist temptation and avoid rushing him to the NHL.

Miller, one of the Rangers’ three selections in the first round of the 2018 draft, comes highly touted as a professional. With a 6-foot-4, 211-pound frame and successful careers at the United States National Team Development Program and the University of Wisconsin, which ESPN’s Chris Peters dubbed “Defenseman U,” his potential is sky-high. The 20-year-old is just one of multiple elite prospects that earned the Rangers pipeline the second-best ranking in The Hockey News’ recent Future Watch issue.

When training camp opens next season, Miller will have a chance to crack the Rangers’ roster. The club needs defensive depth, which could be exacerbated if Tony DeAngelo ends up elsewhere. The Rangers were operating with a 15 percent higher threat of giving up a score in their defensive zone, according to HockeyViz.com.

Trading Brady Skjei to Carolina sent a message; the Rangers reinforced their confidence in the inbound wave of young, defensive talent. And to be clear, Miller does have the tools to already contribute at the NHL level. However, his long-term growth would be better served if he spent time honing his skills in the AHL, which according to LoHud.com’s Vince Mercogliano, is the Rangers’ intention.

It’s important to remember that Miller is still relatively new to the position. He first became a defenseman in the middle of high school to fill a team need. And while his pure talent, raw athleticism and smooth skating have given him enough of a foundation to excel at each level of his career, he still needs to mature as a player. Miller’s game has to become more reliable.

One play doesn’t define a player, but it’s hard to forget the crucial error he made in Team USA’s opening game of the 2020 World Junior Championships against Canada. Seconds after his club had scored the game-tying goal in the third period, Miller made a poor decision to attempt a cross-ice pass in his own zone. Canada forward Alexis Lafreniere picked it off and slipped it in net for the go-ahead score. USA lost 6-4.

Similar issues persisted in his sophomore season as a Wisconsin Badger, according to The Hockey News. During the NCAA season, Miller was prone to missing assignments defensively and giving away pucks, just as he was at World Juniors. His play rounded out as the season went on, but it was still a noticeable step back from his impressive season as a freshman on both ends of the ice. To be fair, the Badgers did battle a slew of injuries and underperformed in 2019-20.

Again, even the most gifted players make mistakes. But the need for Miller to improve his defensive awareness is clear. It’s a skill that comes with time and all the more reason to start his career with the Hartford Wolf Pack.

The Rangers’ AHL affiliate has been an exceptional developmental tool for the club in recent memory. Chris Drury, who doubles as the Wolfpack’s general manager and an assistant GM for the Rangers, has successfully stewarded the growth of Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, and most recently, Igor Shesterkin. Drury’s positive impact earned him a contract extension earlier this month.

Under normal circumstances, Miller would have been able to start the clock on his development by joining the Wolf Pack to close out this season. By signing an amateur tryout contract (ATO), he could have gotten a taste of professional games and built a better idea of what to expect in his first NHL training camp. However, the unprecedented outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus has left the NHL and AHL seasons indefinitely suspended and potentially canceled. Miller will have to wait to get his pro career underway.

There is, of course, Adam Fox, the outlier in all of this. Fox transitioned straight from Harvard to the NHL and posted an impressive rookie season, one worthy of Calder Trophy recognition. Could Miller follow Fox’s blueprint? It’s possible. But Fox had an extra year of college under his belt and a style of play built on a keen hockey sense, as opposed to athleticism.

For now, it’s better to wait and allow Miller to develop at his own pace. He has all the tools to be successful and has the chance to become one of the top defensemen in the organization. Add a little more seasoning and Miller could be on a path to reach his potential and become an impact player for the Rangers soon.