SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The last time K’Andre Miller was on the Xcel Energy Center ice, the Rangers defenseman was 9 years old and his mom surprised him with a birthday ride on the Zamboni.
Before that, Miller participated in a “Skate with the Wild” event when he was 5. He grew up a fan of the Wild.
Miller, now 22, will compete in his first game as an NHL player in his hometown against the team he grew up rooting for on Tuesday when the Rangers play the Wild in the second game of their four-city road trip. After his rookie season in 2020-21 was shortened to 56 games and with only intra-division play, Miller never got his homecoming game.
“It’s been a little bit,” Miller said with a laugh after the Rangers practice on Monday. “But I’m very excited, I have a lot of family and friends coming out. So it should be a really fun experience.”
In the past couple months, Miller has found a groove on both sides of the puck. He is putting more pucks on net and finding different ways to contribute offensively. Playing with more confidence than he has since joining the Rangers last season, Miller has head coach Gerard Gallant looking at the team’s top two defensive pairs as interchangeable.
Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller will play his first NHL game in his home state of Minnesota on Tuesday. NHLI via Getty Images“He’s always skated well, but I think he’s just more comfortable making his reads,” Jacob Trouba said of his defensive partner. “He’s definitely blossoming into his own. It’s good to see. He works really hard. He dedicates a lot of time and effort to getting better, and he’s being rewarded for it. He should be.”
Added Chris Kreider: “I don’t think he has any idea how good he could be — and will be.”
Goalie Igor Shesterkin was named the NHL’s third star of the week after turning aside 106 of the 111 shots he’s faced in the past week.
“We talk about it after a lot of games, I get a little frustrated at times even when we win,” Gallant said of the overreliance on Shesterkin. “The more shots he gets, the better he is. He’s comfortable with the way his game is playing. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want 42 shots, 27 or 28 would be perfect and a good number to get through. But I just think the guy’s confident and he gets his work. He’s focused on every shot. I got no issue with us winning hockey games and him playing great goaltending.
“The only issue I got is some of those breakaways, we’re giving up too many breakaways at times and too many real grade-A chances in a couple games. But for the most part, Igor has just been solid and our goaltending all year has been leading our group.”
After a review by the NHL, it was determined that on the Rangers’ fourth goal of their 4-1 win over the Jets in Winnipeg on Sunday the puck did not make contact with Mika Zibanejad. The goal is now credited to Trouba, who now leads all Rangers defensemen with nine this season.
