DENVER — Coming out of the U.S. National Team Development Program and the University of Wisconsin, Quandre Miller was hailed as a true two-way defenseman.
Thanks to Miller's notable athleticism, skating ability, and the fact that he started his hockey career as a forward, the Minnesota native has always been an intriguing prospect in his offensive game. Ta.
This season, his fifth with the Rangers, hasn't been all that smooth for Miller on either side of the puck.
While there has been some regression on the defensive end, his lack of productivity appears to be even worse.
Generating and creating offense seems to be a huge source of confidence for the 24-year-old blueliner.
“Obviously, I mean, I want to be a little bit more productive and contribute in that way than I am right now,” Miller told the Post on Monday after the Rangers' practice at the University of Denver. “But now I just try to come to the rink with a smile on my face, push my teammates to be better, and hold myself to a standard that I know I can come in and play with every night.”
Entering Tuesday night's game against the Avalanche, Miller had just two goals and five assists in 39 games with a minus-5 rating.
To put things into perspective, Miller already had seven goals and nine assists in the same span last season, earning him a plus-5 rating.
This correlation between his overall game and production also goes back to the early days of his career.
During the 2022-23 season, Miller hinted in early December that he was still searching for his first goal of the season.
In the end, he did not score until December 5, Game 82, Game 27 against the Blues, but he finally scored the game-tying goal in the third period of the game, which the Rangers won 6-4.
Miller was not alone in the collapse of the Rangers' defense as a team with a 4-15 record leading up to the end of 2024; he was also an accomplice.
There were serious questions about the Blueshirts' defensive approach and the costly missteps that occurred there.
Miller also had a decent showing, with his most recent goal leading to the Stars' tying goal before a 5-4 overtime win against the Garden last week.
Despite having full control of the puck, Miller lost it to the forecheck of Sam Steele, who charged to intercept a pass attempt behind the Rangers' net. He fed Thomas Hurley to make it 4-4 at the 17:21 mark of the third period.
Aside from that, Miller has formed a solid duo with Will Bogen since Dec. 28. It was just the Minnesotan's fourth game with the Rangers after Kaapo Kakko was traded to Seattle.
Asked if he would be a good fit with Bogen, Miller said, “Very much so.” “Obviously, I feel like I was trying to find my game this year. I think even the last few games were a step in the right direction for me and I feel like I can go out there with more confidence now. I'm in the right headspace. Things are going well.”
In 128 minutes and 35 seconds of ice time so far, Miller and Borgen have scored eight goals and six goals for the Rangers, according to Natural Stat Trick. Additionally, they posted a goals-against average of 57.14 and outscored their opponents 65-56 in chances.
Borgen described Miller as an “all-around solid player,” noting his 6-foot-5, 210-pound speed and ability to break out of the puck. He also praised Miller's on-ice communication.
“They get off to a tough start and play against top players,” head coach Peter Laviolette said of the pairing. “They're both big. They can skate. I think they've done a really good job together. The pair seems to be getting even stronger as they get used to each other a little bit. They're really good. I think the pairing was good.”
