In NHL.com's Q&A feature called "Sitting Down with …" we talk to key figures in the game, gaining insight into their lives on and off the ice. In this preseason edition, we feature New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller.
NEW YORK -- K'Andre Miller is used to the New York Rangers facing high expectations.
The Rangers entered the 2022-23 season with great anticipation after reaching the 2022 Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Acquiring forwards Patrick Kane from the Chicago Blackhawks and Vladimir Tarasenko from the St. Louis Blues in February trades raised the bar even further.
But New York ended last season with a 4-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round after taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 series.
Coach Gerard Gallant left May 6 after two seasons. The hiring of Peter Laviolette as his replacement created a new set of expectations.
"I think we're doing pretty good," said Miller, a 23-year-old defenseman, during a promotional visit to the NHL Shop in Manhattan on Saturday. "We've gotten a lot of things thrown at us. Obviously, a short training camp, try to learn as much as you can in the short time you have with the new guys and the new staff, the new coaching, all of this other stuff."
Miller will begin his fourth NHL season when the Rangers play the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, MSG, SN360).
In a Q&A with NHL.com, Miller discussed his early experience with the new coaching staff, what he and the Rangers learned from an early Stanley Cup Playoff exit, the St. Paul, Minnesota, native's excitement about the Minnesota Twins during their run through Major League Baseball's postseason and more.
What was this training camp like and how are you all feeling as you prepare for the regular season to begin?
"There's a lot of things to kind of adjust to and get prepared form, vut we're super excited with the new staff and kind of a new philosophy and a new way of doing things. It's new, it's fresh and we're all pretty excited."
There might be a tendency by some to potentially overreact to the Rangers finishing 1-5-0 in the preseason. What are some reasons you would give as to why there shouldn't be too much of an overreaction?
"[Preseason] is where you make your mistakes. We're learning a new system in all three zones. We had about a week and a half to figure all of that out. Obviously, it takes time, and we kind of knew going into these preseason games we're more, so just working on execution and figuring out where guys are supposed to be, things like that. So, it's just working out the kinks, and I think we'll be just fine for the season."
Obviously one of the bigger storylines of the Rangers' offseason was the hiring of Laviolette as coach. What's it been like getting used to both him and a new coaching staff in general?
‘"Lavy' has been great. He's been pretty good at breaking things down for us. We're doing a lot of video right now, which is good for our group. We're able to dissect video and learn from just coaching and watching those plays, and just gathering as much information before the season starts."
How big is the hiring of Phil Housley as associate coach, especially in terms of the intricacies that he brings to the defense as a whole?
"Phil is a pretty unique coach and it's pretty cool having him on the back end. We're learning a lot about his kind of philosophy and his way of doing things there. It's been great to learn from him and get a full season of that."
This team had really high expectations last season, especially after the acquisitions of Kane and Tarasenko. How disappointing was that Game 7 loss to the Devils and do you think that'll have any impact on how your team handles possibly even greater expectations this season?
"I think with every season you take something out of it. I think that was the biggest thing that our group got to sit on over the summer, and we took something out of it. Obviously we wanted it to go a little differently, but I think it's a learning experience and it's growth. There are highs and lows throughout a long seven-game series like that, so we've been there once with that group and it's just adding more experience. We're just excited to hopefully [make the playoffs] again, and we're excited to get a new opportunity with new coaching and a couple of new players added to the team."
I know you're from St. Paul, Minnesota. Are you a Twins fan? If so, how excited are you after watching them win their first postseason series since 2002 and advance?
"I'm feeling great about them, first (series) win in a crazy long time. I had a bunch of buddies and family reach out, and we were all pretty happy. Minnesota's pretty excited about the Twins right now."
NHL.com senior writer Dan Rosen contributed to this report
