Upside is a term that’s thrown around frequently in sports, but what does it mean for K’Andre Miller?
It’s a question many have pondered since the talented defenseman arrived in New York three years ago, and while it’s a fun topic to debate among hockey fans, Miller is content to stay out of it.
“I don’t really think about it in terms of the next step,” he said last month during Rangers’ training camp. “I try to stay in the moment as much as I can and focus on the right now. I’ve found that when I think about the future, or think about the past, it brings down my now. When you can try to stay in the present and stay within your lane – your vision – I think that’s always good.”
The now is fine place to be for the 23-year-old.
He’s just entering his prime, having already secured a prominent place in the Rangers’ lineup and a new two-year contract that will pay him an average annual value of $3.872 million.
Indeed, life is good as Miller enters his fourth NHL season.
“He comes to the rink with a great attitude,” fellow defenseman Ryan Lindgren said. “He’s a great teammate, a great guy. It’s been a blast playing with him the last couple years. Speaking for the whole team, everyone loves him and loves being out there with him.”
‘The guy can do it all’
There’s a playfulness Miller brings around the locker room, with his wide smile growing more prevalent as the years pass and his animated facial expressions reacting to the characters around him, Lindgren included. There’s also a coolness that he brings, most noticeably with his perfectly fitted game-day suits.
He carries himself with the confidence that he belongs − because he does.
“I feel pretty comfortable, and I feel comfort from management, too,” Miller said. “Obviously, there’s still work to be done. I still show up every day with a mindset to get better. I’m surrounding myself with people who are going to push me and support me and believe in me, which is huge.”
That attitude is appreciated by teammates who rave about the way the 6-foot-5, 210-pounder bails them out.
Miller’s length − both his reach and his long strides − and excellent mobility for a man of his size allows him to make up ground quickly in situations where other defensemen are likely to get beat. So, when his partner, Jacob Trouba, or one of the Rangers’ forwards gets caught out of position, Miller is often the one who has their back.
“He’s incredibly gifted,” Lindgren said. “He thinks the game really well. He can skate like the wind. He’s got good hands, good instincts. Defensively, he’s obviously got that long reach (and) he’s physical. The guy can do it all.”
Youth no longer an excuse
Admittedly, Miller still makes mistakes of his own. That’s evident based on the 66 goals against he was on ice for at five-on-five last season, which ranked as the second-worst total on the team, according to Natural Stat Trick.
You could point to his 21:57 average time on ice per game − which was also the second-highest total on the team − as part of the reason for that high number. You could also insist that he’s a young player who’s still learning. But Miller believes he’s past the point where he should be given that leeway.
“I don’t really have an excuse that I can’t do that,” he said. “With age comes experience, so I’m just trying to use that to my advantage now.”
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He wants to prove he can handle everything the Rangers throw at him.
New head coach Peter Laviolette seems inclined to do just that, which includes adding power-play responsibilities to his plate.
“Based on his skills and his ability, that natural progression of his game is going to include some power-play time,” Laviolette said. “I do believe that’s the path for him. He has the ability to create, to move, to see things and generate.”
Developing a ‘killer mindset’
Miller is coming off a career-high 43 points (nine goals and 34 assists), but no one will be surprised if he jumps past that figure this season.
The power-play shifts will certainly help, as will Laviolette’s preference for defensemen who join the rush and activate on offensive possessions. His system encourages an aggressive approach from the guys on the back end, with Miller in an especially beneficial spot for his skill set.
The 1-3-1 neutral-zone trap the Rangers are employing positions the left-handed D near center ice, giving Miller an opportunity to press forward, hunt for takeaways with his active stick and use his speed to attack for quick-strike scoring chances.
“The sky’s the limit for him,” Lindgren said.
That’s an opinion shared by many, particularly after Miller has time to master the new system.
There have been ups and downs through the Rangers’ first three games, with a few eye-opening plays but only one assist and a team-worst 28 shots against while he’s on the ice at 5v5.
He’s coming off a strong camp, but he wasn’t interested in projecting points totals or making proclamations about his ceiling. After all, there’s no sense in putting a cap on where he could end up if he continues to stay in the now.
“I think I’m still going up,” Miller said. “I’m still learning about my body, learning about my mind, learning more about the game. It’s a lot of different things. There are a lot of new things going on right now, so I’m just trying to get familiar with systems and people and all those little things.
“I’m just showing up every day with that attitude and having a killer mindset – being dialed in at the rink and coming prepared.”
Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NY Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller takes on ‘killer mindset’
