DENVER — Developing by the U.S. Nationwide Group Improvement Program and the College of Wisconsin, Okay’Andre Miller was lauded as a real two-way defenseman.
Due to Miller’s notable athleticism, his skating skills and the actual fact he began his hockey profession as a ahead, the Minnesota native at all times has had tantalizing potential in his offensive recreation.
This season, his fifth with the Rangers, hasn’t been the smoothest for Miller on both facet of the puck.
There was regression on protection, however his lack of manufacturing appears to chop even deeper.
Producing and creating offense seems to be a serious supply of confidence for the 24-year-old blueliner.
“Obviously, I mean, I’d like to be producing a little bit more than I am and contributing in that way,” Miller advised The Publish Monday after Rangers observe on the College of Denver. “But, you know, just trying to come to the rink right now with a smile on my face, push my teammates to be better and hold myself to the standard that I know I can come and play every night at.”
Coming into Tuesday night time’s recreation in opposition to the Avalanche, Miller had simply two objectives and 5 assists with a minus-five score by 39 video games.
To place it in perspective: Final season, Miller already had seven objectives and 9 assists with a plus-five score over the identical span.
This correlation between his total recreation and manufacturing has dated again to earlier in his profession, too.
Through the 2022-23 season, Miller alluded to the burden of nonetheless trying to find his first aim of the season in early December.
He finally didn’t rating till Sport 27 of 82, on Dec. 5 in opposition to the Blues, a game-tying rating within the third interval of an eventual 6-4 Rangers win.
The Rangers’ defensive collapse as a crew by that regarding 4-15 stretch to complete 2024 didn’t fall on Miller alone, however he was complicit.
There have been critical questions in regards to the Blueshirts’ defensive strategy and the abundance of expensive lapses that occurred inside it.
Miller had his justifiable share, the latest resulting in the Stars’ game-tying aim earlier than their 5-4 extra time win on the Backyard final week.
Regardless of being in full management of the puck, Miller misplaced it as a forechecking Sam Metal charged to disrupt a go try behind the Rangers web. He fed Thomas Harley to make it 4-4 on the 17:21 mark of the third interval.
Apart from that, Miller has cast a strong pairing with Will Borgen since Dec. 28, which was simply 4 video games into the man Minnesotan’s Rangers tenure after the Kaapo Kakko commerce with Seattle.
“Tremendously,” Miller mentioned when requested if it’s a superb match with Borgen. “I feel like I’ve been kind of trying to find my game, obviously, this year. I think even the last couple of games have been a step in the right direction for myself and I just feel more confident out there right now. In a good head space. Things are going good.”
In 128:35 of ice time to date, in response to Pure Stat Trick, Miller and Borgen have been on for eight Rangers objectives and 6 in opposition to. Moreover, they’ve posted a goals-for proportion of 57.14, whereas additionally out-chancing opponents 65-56.
Borgen described Miller as a “solid player all around,” noting the 6-foot-5, 210-pounder’s velocity and skill to interrupt out pucks. He additionally counseled Miller for his communication on the ice, as properly.
“They take tough starts, they take top players,” head coach Peter Laviolette mentioned of the pairing. “They’re both big. They can skate. I think they’ve done a really good job together. The pairs seem to be getting stronger as they get a little more accustomed to each other. I think that they’ve been really good, but the pairings have been good, as well.”
