New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller. Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Defenseman addition could pull Hurricanes closer to Panthers

By Eric Smithling | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 2:20 PM ET

The Carolina Hurricanes are close to improving their blue line with a pending trade involving New York Rangers five-year veteran defenseman K'Andre Miller.

On Tuesday, Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported the Hurricanes and Rangers were in the process of finalizing a trade, with USA Today Rangers reporter Vince Z. Mercogliano sharing the deal "will center on draft-pick compensation.

"Carolina holds two first-round picks next year, with the [Rangers] eyeing one of them," Mercogliano wrote.

Hearing NYR working on sending K'Andre Miller to Carolina
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 1, 2025

Sounds like the K'Andre Miller trade return will center on draft-pick compensation, according to a source. Carolina holds two first-round picks next year, with the #NYR eyeing one of them.
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) July 1, 2025

The No. 22 pick of the 2018 NHL Draft, Miller played 74 games in 2024-25. He was one of 36 NHL defensemen with at least 100 blocks and 100 hits and ranked 12th in takeaways (47). Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin led the league with 61 takeaways.

Last season, Carolina ranked 10th in goals allowed (2.3 per game) but couldn't contain the explosive Florida Panthers in the East Finals. In the 4-1 series loss, the Canes allowed 21 goals, including at least five in all four losses.

Miller's aggressiveness as a defender will be welcomed. Per Stathead, Carolina ranked 30th out of 32 teams in hits in 2024-25 (1,415), averaging 17.3 per game. By comparison, the Stanley Cup champion Panthers led NHL with 2,446 hits (29.8 per game).

Since snapping a nine-year playoff drought in 2018-19, the Hurricanes have been a perennial postseason participant, reaching the Stanley Cup Playoffs for seven consecutive seasons. They've advanced past the first round six times and reached three conference finals but have yet to return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since winning in 2006.

With the franchise celebrating the 20th anniversary of its lone league title this season, it's putting itself in position to put up a better fight against the Panthers should the teams meet again in the 2026 playoffs.

It will take a lot to knock Florida, which is returning the majority of its championship roster, from its perch. For the Hurricanes, acquiring Miller would be a nice start.

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans

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