Rangers must address status of K'Andre Miller before diving into free agency
Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller during the second period of an NHL game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 16 at Madison Square Garden. Credit: Noah K. Murray
With the draft behind him and eight new players added to the prospect pipeline over the weekend, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury now can devote his full attention to the main event of his summer: free agency.
Drury and the other 31 general managers can start shopping the open market when the NHL’s free-agent signing period opens at noon Tuesday, taking advantage of the increased salary cap to try to upgrade their rosters for next season.
Missing the playoffs this spring did nothing to change the fact that the Rangers remain in win-now mode. If anything, the lack of postseason hockey made them even more desperate to not only get back into the playoffs in 2026 but to reassert themselves as a Stanley Cup contender.
Free agency is the fastest way to do that, but for Drury, it’s not so simple. Before he can go shopping, he has a couple of things to resolve, the first of which is the status of defenseman K’Andre Miller.
It’s been rumored for weeks that the 25-year-old Miller, a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who labored through an up-and-down season in 2024-25, has been on the trading block. As of Sunday, however, Drury had yet to pull the trigger on a deal.
With Miller and RFA winger Will Cuylle unsigned, the Rangers have between $12.2 million and $15.6 million available under the NHL’s $95.5 million cap for 2025-26, depending on which young players (from among Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann, Brett Berard, Matthew Robertson and unsigned RFA Zac Jones) are included on their roster.
Trading Miller, depending on what that deal brings back in terms of players and salary, would allow Drury to use whatever money he’s budgeted for Miller to sign a replacement in free agency. Reports have Drury targeting Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov on Tuesday (assuming the Kings don’t sign him before then), and reports say Gavrikov is just as enamored of the Rangers.
If Drury can land the 6-3, 220-pound Gavrikov, that would be huge. A lefthanded shooter who played an average of 23 minutes, 5 seconds per game in 2024-25, Gavrikov instantly would improve the defense corps. He could be the defense partner the Rangers have been seeking to pair with their top defenseman, Adam Fox.
Coming off the season he just had, though — five goals, 25 assists without any power-play time and a plus-26 rating in 82 games — the 29-year-old surely will cost more than Miller would. Some estimates have Gavrikov earning north of $8 million per year on a long-term deal.
At this point, it makes sense for Drury to hold off on trading Miller’s negotiating rights until after he gets Gavrikov or some other veteran defenseman, such as Columbus’ Ivan Provorov. That way, if he strikes out on adding a top blueliner, he can hold on to Miller as his backup plan.
Miller did play the second-most minutes (21:57) per game on the team last season and had seven goals, 20 assists and an even plus/minus in 74 games.
All of that addresses only one position on the roster, though. There are other areas that could stand shoring up before training camp.
Depending on whether new coach Mike Sullivan wants to use Mika Zibanejad at center or right wing, the Rangers could use some help in one of those spots. If Zibanejad is a right wing, as he was for most of the time after J.T. Miller’s arrival in February, the Rangers could use a third-line center. If Sullivan uses Zibanejad at center, they might want to add a top-six right wing.
There’s also the matter of the potential that some of the Rangers’ RFAs could be the target of offer sheets by other teams. If a team signs Cuylle to an offer sheet, for instance, it could put the Rangers in a bind. A contract offer to an RFA that carries an average annual value of between $2.34 million and $4.68 million would require a team to surrender a second-round draft pick in 2026 as compensation.
Cuylle, who had 20 goals and 45 points and whose 301 hits were a franchise record and tied for third in the league, is projected by AFPAnalytics to warrant a three-year deal worth an average of $3.43 million. But if a team offers him a deal averaging something in the neighborhood of $4.5 million, the Rangers can’t let him go for only a second-round pick. They’d have to match the offer.
Vladislav Gavrikov, D, Los Angeles Kings: One of the top defensemen available. He’s 6-3, 220 and physical, and his average ice time of 23:05 last season was second on the Kings. Had five goals and 25 assists without playing on the power play. He’ll cost big money but could be the answer to the question of who Adam Fox’s partner should be.
Victor Olofsson, RW, Vegas Golden Knights: If new coach Mike Sullivan uses Mika Zibanejad at center, he’ll need an option at right wing on one of the top two lines. Olofsson, 29, played on a one-year, $1.075 million prove-it deal in 2024-25 for Vegas and had 15 goals in 56 games.
Pius Suter, C, Vancouver Canucks: If Sullivan uses Zibanejad as a right wing, he’ll need a third-line center. The UFA market for centers is thin, and Suter had 25 goals last season, so he’s going to get paid. Would the Rangers shell out big bucks for him?
Lars Eller, C, Washington Capitals: Eller, 36, wants to keep playing — in part because he’d like to play for Denmark in the Olympics — and he could be a cheap option. Had 10 goals in 80 games for Pittsburgh and Washington last season.
Anthony Beauvillier, LW/RW, Washington Capitals: The former Islander, 28, had a bounce-back season in 2024-25, scoring 15 goals for Pittsburgh and Washington. He’s versatile and won’t cost too much.
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.
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