RALEIGH, N.C. – K’Andre Miller admitted that changing teams for the first time, when he was traded from the Rangers to the Carolina Hurricanes over the summer “was weird at first.’’
“It’s definitely emotional the first little bit, realizing you’re not gonna play there [anymore],’’ Miller said at the Hurricanes’ morning skate Wednesday, before his Carolina hosted his former team at Lenovo Center.
“But how great of an opportunity it was to play in MSG for five years for obviously, one of the [NHL’s] greatest teams,’’ he said. “I mean, you love the nostalgia with the Rangers, and I think everybody has seen the ups and downs of what it means to be a New York Ranger. But, I mean, I think just being in it and getting to experience it, I’ll never turn down those memories… Those are some of the best years of my life, and really where I got to grow as a human, hockey player, and person.’’
All that said, though, Miller, 25, said he’s loving life in Carolina. While he admits there are things he misses about New York, and acknowledges life moves at a slower pace in the South, he said he likes it here, and his family does, too. And on the ice, the hockey part of things has been great for the 6-5, 210-pound defenseman.
“I think it’s fit my game tremendously,’’ he said of coach Rod Brind’Amour’s coaching style and playing system. “I think it was pretty easy for me to step into the system and honestly, thrive.’’
He started the season with a bang, scoring two goals in the Canes’ 6-3 opening night win over the Devils. But he’s had some injury issues, including a stint on injured reserve that prevented him from playing against the Rangers when the teams faced each other in Madison Square Garden on Nov. 4. He sat out Tuesday’s practice for maintenance reasons, but was eager to play Wednesday night against his old team. He had two goals and eight assists (10 points) in 16 games entering Wednesday.
“It’s been everything we had hoped for,’’ Brind’Amour said when asked what he’s seen from Miller this season. “You kind of know the player from coaching against him, but you don’t know what his impact could be. And when he’s on, it’s an elite player there. He’s been a little nicked up this year, unfortunately. So we missed him a little bit. But when he’s been going, [and] feeling good, he’s been really effective.’’
Maybe it didn’t end the way he would have liked it in New York for Miller, one of three first-round draft picks by the Rangers in 2018, at the start of their post-letter rebuild. He had an up-and-down season in 2024-25. He played the second-most minutes (behind Adam Fox) on the team, and finished with seven goals, 27 points, and an even plus/minus rating in 74 games. But he did have some untimely and costly turnovers, and was a target of some fans on social media.
With his long reach, superior skating ability and offensive skills, there are those who believe Miller never reached his potential with the Rangers. Still, he had 36 goals, 132 points and was a +49 in 368 games over five seasons with the Rangers, and there were some memorable goals and plays during his time.
“I think I definitely had moments,’’ he said. “I think there were moments, definitely, when I felt dominant, felt like I was controlling the game. And honestly, some games, you know, I feel confident that I’m the best player on the ice.
“I think it came in bits and pieces, and I showed it,’’ he said. “I just couldn’t get, I guess, a consistent grounding game… that I could bring back every night.’’
In the end, with his contract having expired at the end of last season, Miller knew there was a chance the Rangers might not bring him back. But he said it was still “unexpected,’’ and “a little shocking’’ when he was signed to an eight-year, $7.5 million AAV contract and traded to Carolina on July 1 in exchange for a second-round pick in 2025, a conditional first-rounder in 2026 or ’27 and young defenseman Scott Morrow.
But he insisted he had no regrets about anything that transpired in his time in New York.
“I try to live life with no regrets,’’ he said. “I think you can do things differently looking back on it now, but I don’t think I regret any of it.’’
Notes & quotes: Forward Juuso Parssinen cleared waivers and was assigned to Hartford. D Connor Mackey was recalled from Hartford… J.T. Miller and Will Borgen, both out with upper-body injuries, were game-time decisions, coach Mike Sullivan said.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.