LD K'Andre Miller (2018, 22nd, NYR)

[DigitalBoldy]

That's disappointing to here considering he has 9 points in 9 games. He should go pro after this year and spend a year or 2 in the AHL anyways.

Appreciate the info.

There is good news though! It’s a lot things that can be easily corrected. I won’t question his offense, but the defense and breakout need some work. Just like the with K’Andre Miller. His d-zone awareness is a little suspect.

Edit: I might be a little more openly critical about the d-zone as well because it’s been an issue since Granato became HC at Wisconsin.

 

[tealhockey]

Since you seem to watch the team play, a bit off topic, but thought on Kalynuk?

He hasn't been good this year. Don't know if it's the pressure of being captain or what, but he's been a borderline liability in the d-zone.

Yeah, he hasn't been a rockstar, not sure that he was ever a stud defensively but this whole defensive group seems like they are asleep in the DZ at times. Which is bizarre because legitimately all of them are pretty good players. Kalynuk has at least shown his offensive ability a bit though

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I thought Miller had a good U17 season. It was clear the kid had ability and would be a high pick. At that standpoint, potential matters more than production. The next season, there wasn’t any improvement I saw in his game. In fact, I thought he looked worse. Last season, I think he benefited a lot from the change in environment. @tealhockey described his play better than I’ve been able to. It was similar to his U17 season. Flashes of talent playing a different role where expectations were in his favor. There was little to lose. When he struggled, people could say he was a raw player who needs to develop. If he played well, he was developing well. Players like this are always given a benefit of the doubt at certain points in their career that others aren’t. And maybe that’s how it should be, but that’s how it is. They are in a no-lose position because of their theoretical potential.

This season, the expectations are very high. He’s expected to an all-around beast, the top defensemen on the WJC team and a player who could play next year in the NHL. I’m just not sure he’s the type of player we’ll ever see put it all together. I hope I’m wrong. I’m sure one of the Gorton cheerleaders will now attack me for saying this.

 

[tealhockey]

I thought Miller had a good U17 season. It was clear the kid had ability and would be a high pick. At that standpoint, potential matters more than production. The next season, there wasn’t any improvement I saw in his game. In fact, I thought he looked worse. Last season, I think he benefited a lot from the change in environment. @tealhockey described his play better than I’ve been able to. It was similar to his U17 season. Flashes of talent playing a different role where expectations were in his favor. There was little to lose. When he struggled, people could say he was a raw player who needs to develop. If he played well, he was developing well. Players like this are always given a benefit of the doubt at certain points in their career that others aren’t. And maybe that’s how it should be, but that’s how it is. They are in a no-lose position because of their theoretical potential.

This season, the expectations are very high. He’s expected to an all-around beast, the top defensemen on the WJC team and a player who could play next year in the NHL. I’m just not sure he’s the type of player we’ll ever see put it all together. I hope I’m wrong. I’m sure one of the Gorton cheerleaders will now attack me for saying this.

Yeah, defense is hard, like it sounds overly simplistic but it really is. And people knock college but college hockey is better than it ever has been. It's not that he's bad, he just hasn't been a killer the way you might hope. He still has a lot of potential obviously

 

[ElLeetch]

and a player who could play next year in the NHL.

except nobody is really saying that.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

except nobody is really saying that.

Not true. A lot of people said before the season they think he’ll sign after one more season. Some even thought he should’ve signed after last season. He’s not signing to play a full season in the AHL. First round picks in a good NCAA environment with years of eligibility rarely jump ship to the AHL, unless it’s with the idea that they are very close to the NHL and the AHL stint will be short.

 

[tealhockey]

Not true. A lot of people said before the season they think he’ll sign after one more season. Some even thought he should’ve signed after last season. He’s not signing to play a full season in the AHL. First round picks in a good NCAA environment with years of eligibility rarely jump ship to the AHL, unless it’s with the idea that they are very close to the NHL and the AHL stint will be short.

A lot of people talk a lot of nonsense, the amount of people that actually watch games is an unbelievably small minority. Logically you might expect a first rounder to go to the NHL next year but it could be a disaster. Guys moving on because they're first rounders/high picks rather than because they are ready is usually a big mistake

 

[ElLeetch]

Not true. A lot of people said before the season they think he’ll sign after one more season. Some even thought he should’ve signed after last season. He’s not signing to play a full season in the AHL. First round picks in a good NCAA environment with years of eligibility rarely jump ship to the AHL, unless it’s with the idea that they are very close to the NHL and the AHL stint will be short.

Sign =/= NHL. its a very small minority that expects to see him in the NHL next season, and most are 50/50 on AHL/NCAA for next year.

 

[Breakers]

I hope Granato changes his mind on his deployment on the PP.

Can't stand it.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Pavel Buchnevich never met a Pavel Buchnevich opinion that he wasn't in love with.

 

[Nabrules]

Surprised no ones brought up K’Andre with all the world junior talk. I think he’ll be a good top 4 nhl Dman and really value him as a prospect but man he’s been poor for team USA. They should play York more in correlation to help out Miller.

 

[QJL]

Surprised no ones brought up K’Andre with all the world junior talk. I think he’ll be a good top 4 nhl Dman and really value him as a prospect but man he’s been poor for team USA. They should play York more in correlation to help out Miller.

I was Miller’s harshest critic after the Canada game. He has been much better since.

 

[FlyguyOX]

He hasn’t asserted himself in the game enough.

I think he was being counted on the be the anchor part of whatever line he’s on and that’s not his game. They need to take the reins off

 

[tealhockey]

He hasn’t asserted himself in the game enough.

I think he was being counted on the be the anchor part of whatever line he’s on and that’s not his game. They need to take the reins off

I don't think they have enough defensive competency elsewhere on this team to let a guy take the reins off like that

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I’ve seen very little development of his hockey skills over the last four seasons. This is why I didn’t like this pick. When I didn’t see much development from his U17 to U18 seasons, I thought that was the point where you had to start questioning if there are hockey tools in his game. I understand some players are raw, but not every good athlete who lacks hockey skills is raw. Some of them don’t have the hockey skill potential that is needed to be a good NHL’er. I think he’ll play in the NHL, but I think it’ll be on a bottom pairing or as a low-level #4.

 

[FlyguyOX]

I don't think they have enough defensive competency elsewhere on this team to let a guy take the reins off like that

Pretty funny where it used to be if you had an offensive minded D-man it was not commonplace and just had a bunch of stay at home D-men around that 1 offensive guy. Now it’s the opposite.

 

[tealhockey]

Pretty funny where it used to be if you had an offensive minded D-man it was not commonplace and just had a bunch of stay at home D-men around that 1 offensive guy. Now it’s the opposite.

yeah I had that thought the other day. I think the game is in this weird transition (for lack of a better word) where those 'stay at home' types aren't properly valued or just aren't really in supply. The premium on having guys who can move the puck is so high while guys who you don't really 'notice' but make you harder to play against seem to be few and far between.

I wouldn't be surprised if we see it go back to that kind of model at least for some teams, I don't think this configuration where 4/6 are offensive-minded really makes sense especially with how fast and skilled the game is (ironically because of all these O-minded fourth forwards) you need to be able to contain and limit opportunities. It's fascinating. I wonder if big athletes who can skate but are kind of limited offensively will come into style. Imo it all is making centers who really play two-way games but know when to activate offensively super valuable

 

[William H Bonney]

Horrid sophomore year for Miller and his issues are still glaring but I imagine the Rangers just want to control his development at this point, especially with the nightmare that Wisconsin has become.

 

[Captain Clutch]

Can you elaborate on "the nightmare that Wisconsin has become", I'm wondering if Miller's lack of progress and Turcotte's disappointing D+1 season are correlated to some greater issue at the program?

 

[tealhockey]

Can you elaborate on "the nightmare that Wisconsin has become", I'm wondering if Miller's lack of progress and Turcotte's disappointing D+1 season are correlated to some greater issue at the program?

I'm not OP but Wisconsin hasn't been able to pull a great year together for a while and this season was supposed to be the big redemption arc with all the super talented young players and K'Andre being back. Instead it was just kind of a mess, they weren't able to get into the top half of their conference despite early inklings of greatness, defensively they struggled, offensively they often weren't good enough, and then being so dependent on the young guys became a problem because if they didn't show up they basically weren't in the game.

 

[Favin]

Every time I watched Wisconsin play this year, I left feeling more bullish on Ty Emberson, bearish on Miller.

 

[Oak]

Just curious if Teal will agree with me on this one.

For a kid who is such an athletic specimen he might be one of the lowest IQ hockey players I have seen in a long time. Kid looks absolutely lost out there sometimes. I don't understand the Rangers signing him but I guess they hope they can teach him how to play. Some of his mistakes are inexcusable though.

 

[wings5]

Just curious if Teal will agree with me on this one.

For a kid who is such an athletic specimen he might be one of the lowest IQ hockey players I have seen in a long time. Kid looks absolutely lost out there sometimes. I don't understand the Rangers signing him but I guess they hope they can teach him how to play. Some of his mistakes are inexcusable though.

He was a forward for a while and Wisconsin has been a trainwreck for the last several years, best for him to get out right now and develop under the close eyes of the Rangers staff.

 

[tealhockey]

Just curious if Teal will agree with me on this one.

For a kid who is such an athletic specimen he might be one of the lowest IQ hockey players I have seen in a long time. Kid looks absolutely lost out there sometimes. I don't understand the Rangers signing him but I guess they hope they can teach him how to play. Some of his mistakes are inexcusable though.

like wings5 said he was a forward when I first saw him around 14 and I remember thinking he has great upside, still people flag him as a great upside type, which is fair enough. He had his moments this season but it's been a long time to be betting on his upside to be realized. The best comparison I can put it is that he reminds me of an "athlete" in college football recruiting terms which is a term for a guy who is such a specimen that he could end up playing a bunch of different roles. related to what @Oak said is that I'm not sure if he will be particularly elite at any of them. He's not a shut-down defender or at least I don't think he projects to be, and the offensive side isn't consistently there to make him a guy who can be the go-to offensive defensemen, which I suppose makes him out to be a bottom four type who can play spot-duty on the PP. I think playing in the american league or NHL will be trial by fire, I hope it carves his game into something more appealing and he ends up defining himself one way or the other whether it's a consistently good defender or a solid piece offensively with some defensive holes

 

[AlternateSideParking]

Disagree with low-IQ assessment. He makes multiple calculated decisions a game in all three zones. Intentions are mostly sound. Super poised under pressure. He logged a ton of minutes for an anemic attack (collectively). He also had to cover for an inexperienced partner in Vorlicky when Emberson was out. If anyone displayed a low IQ this year it was Turcotte, who seemed to try to do everything every shift and forced passes all over the place.

With Miller It’s a law of averages — if you kickstart 25 breakouts a night you’re going to have a few bad ones. There were several games where he was the best Badger at any position. Team had no depth.

Only blemishes were the off-ice suspension and a poor WJC. All things considered he had a very good season.