Rangers defensemen is on pace to double last year's offensive production
K'Andre Miller has made leaps and bounds in the first three years of his NHL career. And this year is no exception.
After doubling his point total last season — going from 20 points in 2021-22 to 43 points in 2022-23 — the 23-year-old defenceman is on pace to double them again. Through ten games, Miller has a goal and seven points. At this pace, the 2018 first-round pick should finish with a career-best 63 points.
I sat down and chatted with Miller after the Rangers morning skate on Thursday to ask him about how much his confidence continues to grow and what impact head coach Peter Laviolette has had on his game.
Below is our conversation:
Jonny Lazarus: I know you're an American-born kid, but scoring the overtime goal against Vancouver and getting the Hockey Night In Canada towel around your neck, is that huge to get your year going?
K'Andre Miller: Yeah, absolutely. It's nice to get the first one out of the way … in that fashion too is pretty nice. It was a great road trip and happy I started the year the way I did. So, yeah, pretty happy.
JL: Is there one thing that you can pinpoint right now under Peter Laviolette that has helped your game explode out of the start? You're on fire right now.
KM: I don’t think there’s anything too specific. I think the confidence he’s putting in me specifically has given me a longer leash … a little more just go play rather than years past. So I think that confidence is building, just confidence with the puck. Within the systems just getting better each game and really just coming all together.
JL: Some fans are voting you as the team's most handsome guy. Who's in the running for second?
KM: Oooof....I don't know.
JL: I said Schneids [Braden Schneider].
KM: Yeah, that's probably a good choice. Safe choice. Schneids, we'll go with that.
JL: You're going to Minnesota this weekend. Returning home for you, is there any tradition you have when you come home?
KM: No traditions, actually. I just built my first house this summer, so I'm excited to go see that for the first time. It's always good to go see family and friends, get to experience another game at the Xcel, it's always fun.
JL: I don't know if you know, but this weekend Michigan is at Wisconsin for two games. Do you and [Jacob] Trouba have anything on the line? A dinner or bottle of wine or something?
KM: Haha, not yet, we’ll see. Wisconsin’s been pretty hot, which has been fun to see. I’m really happy for them and excited to see where their year goes.
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Coach Laviolette has also been very pleased with the efforts from Miller thus far this season. I asked Laviolette about Miller and his confidence, along with his point production.
"For me, it's not even about the point production," said Laviolette. "I think that sometimes the point production is a by-product of how you're playing. He is skating well, he's playing physical, he's defending well. Often times when you do those three things, you'll find that the offensive part of it comes as well."
"I think he's been hard to play against. He's used his size … and his speed … and his physicality to defend … I do think he has really good offensive tendencies to get up in the rush and in the offensive zone. So there's a lot of positive things offensively, but I think it stems from having a really good base of — and a foundation of — physicality, speed, defense, tenacity. All of that's, for me, pushing the other way as well."
Having a coach like Laviolette has done wonders for Miller. It's evident that there is a level of comfort that they have with one another.
As such, the ceiling is very high for the Rangers young defenseman.