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NHL insider Elliotte Friedman confirmed recently that the Rangers are placing their top defenseman K'Andre Miller on the trade block this offseason.
One of the biggest choices the New York Rangers have to make this summer is what to do with defenseman K'Andre Miller. The 25-year-old is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights who is due for a big salary increase.
The Rangers can re-sign him or trade him for what is expected to be a strong return. The k ey question: Do the Rangers consider Miller a building block for the future, or has five years of inconsistency undermined their faith?
Regardless of whatever their long-term plans are, the Rangers are reported to be doing their diligence by getting a sense of Miller's trade value, with unrestricted free agency still a couple of years away, as per NHL insider Elliotte Friedman.
'They are testing the market on Miller. They want to know what it is. His name is definitely out there'- Elliotte Friedman
That, folks say, means the trade is imminent, but Rangers GM C hris Drury would be remiss not to attempt everything.
The Rangers can sign Miller to a short or long-term deal if they decide to keep him
If they do keep Miller, the Rangers have two options for courses of action. A short-term deal, presumably two years, gives them more time to evaluate him but risks losing him for nothing in 2027.
Or they can lock him up long term now, maybe five to seven years, although that carries risk based on Miller's see-saw playing.
But the potential is apparent. Miller , taken 22nd overall in 2018, can be a first-pairing defenseman to pair with Adam Fox. But his ceiling is balanced by concerning breakdowns, turnovers, poor reads, and spastic decision-making.
His coaches and front office personnel know him best. They must decide now whether to bet on his potential or trade him before they can no longer do so.
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Rangers Must Trust Young Forwards in 2025-26
The New York Rangers are coming off a disappointing 2024-25 season, and newly hired head coach Mike Sullivan has some tough decisions to make about line combinations and who will make the opening night lineup. They have a mix of veterans as well as some key young forwards who did not get much playing time last season. This season, they need to show more faith in their young forwards and give them consistent playing time. Rangers’ Young Forwards Were Frequently Benched for Veterans in 2024-25 Last season, the Rangers called up a few of their top prospects, as Brett Berard and Gabriel Perreault made their NHL debuts and Brennan Othmann played in 22 games after playing three games in 2023-24. However, none of the three got many opportunities, as then-head coach Peter Laviolette usually opted to play veterans over them. He also decided to bench Kaapo Kakko, who was then traded to the Seattle Kraken, even though he was playing well in a bottom-six role. Berard is a quick skater and, despite playing in a bottom-six role, he was noticeable on the forecheck, drove to the net, and made the most of his opportunities. He had six goals and four assists in 35 games, while averaging 10:43 in ice time per game. Like Berard, Othmann played in a bottom-six role, and though he was effective on the forecheck, he did not capitalize on his scoring opportunities. He finished with no goals and two assists in 22 games, while averaging 9:58 in ice time per game. He did play well defensively and was a plus-7. The Rangers also made a curious decision as general manager Chris Drury signed Perreault, the team’s top prospect, to a three-year, entry-level contract. At the time, just eight games remained in the season, and the expectation was that he would get lots of ice time with New York outside a playoff position. He started in a top-six role, but quickly moved down to the bottom-six and was then benched by Laviolette. He averaged 14:26 in ice time per game in five games and was held without a point. A big bright spot for the Rangers last season was the play of 23-year-old Will Cuylle, who worked his way into the top six with his combination of grit, physicality, and skill. He led the team in hits with 301 and finished with 20 goals, 25 assists, and was plus-12 while averaging 15:05 in ice time per game. Rangers Need to Give Their Young Forwards More Opportunities For years, the Rangers have struggled to develop their top forward prospects. They have often benched them for defensive mistakes or played them in a bottom-six role. While that strategy made sense when they were a Cup contender and had lots of veterans playing at a high level, they missed the postseason in 2024-25, and many of their veteran forwards struggled. Though Berard, Othmann, and Perreault may make some mistakes, they need to either get consistent ice time in the NHL or develop in the American Hockey League (AHL). All three of them are skilled players, with enough upside that they deserve an opportunity to prove themselves. The Rangers want their forwards to play well defensively and play with physicality. While Cuylle is a perfect fit, they also need to develop highly skilled prospects who do not play with as much physicality. Perreault had 19 goals and 41 assists as a freshman at Boston College in 2023-24, and he had 16 goals and 32 assists in 37 games with them last season. He has the skill to become a top-six forward for years to come, but that will not happen if they bench him every time he makes a mistake. The Rangers Need to Learn From Past Mistakes Laviolette sent the wrong message last season when he benched players like Kakko and Berard, while continuing to play veterans who made much more egregious defensive mistakes over and over. Sullivan needs to show faith in the Rangers’ top prospects and give them a true opportunity to prove themselves. There is nothing wrong with allowing prospects to develop in the AHL, but if the Rangers’ top prospects earn a spot in the lineup, they should not be buried on the fourth line and benched after every turnover. They need to learn from their past mistakes in developing their top forward prospects and handle them differently this season.
Commanders flaw exposed in blowout preseason loss to Ravens
The Washington Commanders have a potentially significant problem on special teams. During Saturday's 30-3 preseason Week 3 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, kicker Matt Gay missed a 53-yard field goal wide left at the end of Washington's first offensive possession. Gay finished the preseason 3-of-5 on field goal attempts. He also missed a 49-yarder wide left in preseason Week 1 against the New England Patriots. Gay's struggles continue the chaotic journey for the Commanders at kicker. Last season's Week 1 starter, Cade York, went 0-of-2 in the opener and was promptly released. His replacement, Austin Seibert, was in the midst of a fantastic season through Week 9, going 25-of-27 on field goals and 22-of-22 on extra points before missing two weeks with a hip injury. He was later placed on injured reserve after missing three kicks in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys, including a would-be tying extra point following a wild 86-yard touchdown with under a minute remaining. Zane Gonzalez and Greg Joseph combined to go 7-of-10 on field goals the rest of the season, including each missing a 50-yard attempt. Overall, Commanders kickers struggled from long distance, with the four combining to go 2-of-8 on attempts of 50 yards or more. Only the Philadelphia Eagles had a worse percentage (14.3%) on attempts of at least 50 yards, per Pro Football Reference data. Washington signed Gay to a one-year, $4.25M fully guaranteed contract in late April following the 2025 NFL Draft. Per CBS Sports, it's the largest guaranteed contract for a kicker on a one-year deal in NFL history. Last season while with the Indianapolis Colts, Gay was 3-of-9 on 50-yard field goals. The Commanders have the talent on offense to be one of the league's top scoring units, so they might not need to convert many tries from over 50 yards. Still, having a kicker who can reliably hit from that distance is an undeniable asset, particularly late in close games or on possessions that stall after crossing midfield. Washington largely has a roster capable of contending for a Super Bowl. But following its final tune-up before the regular season, kicking is a notable flaw.
Mets manager confirms veteran pitcher done for the season due to 'pretty significant' injury
The New York Mets announced that Frankie Montas has been placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 22) due to a UCL-related injury in his right elbow. Right-hander Huascar Brazoban has been called up from Triple-A to take Montas’ spot on the active roster. Manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that Montas’ UCL injury is “pretty significant,” via Mike Puma of the New York Post. Mendoza went on to confirm that Montas will not pitch again in 2025. It’s the latest setback in what was been a brutal inaugural season for Montas in Queens. The right-hander signed a $34M guarantee with the Mets during the winter but has produced just 38 2/3 innings of work for the team so far. A lat strain suffered at the outset of Spring Training left Montas to open the season on the injured list and he did not make his season debut until June 24. After throwing five scoreless innings in his first start of the year, Montas pitched to a ghastly 7.85 ERA over his next six starts with an 18.2% strikeout rate and a whopping seven home runs allowed. Those brutal results led the Mets to move Montas to the bullpen earlier this month, where he’s surrendered four runs (two earned) on four walks and six hits (including a home run) while striking out just three. Altogether, Montas has posted a 6.28 ERA and a 5.31 FIP during his time with the Mets with an 18.0% strikeout rate and a 7.9% walk rate. It’s a deeply disappointing outcome, and now it’s an open question when Montas will next be available to pitch. The Mets have made no announcements about the right-hander’s timeline for return, nor offered any indications about the severity of the injury. Of course, many fans will wonder about the possibility of Tommy John surgery, which is often required to repair a pitcher’s UCL once damaged. Such a procedure (or even a less invasive internal brace procedure) would likely cost Montas not only the remainder of this year but also the entire 2026 season. With that being said, some UCL injuries are possible to address via rehab. That’s a path that Braves hurler Grant Holmes opted to take earlier this month as he deals with a partial UCL tear, though even Holmes’s rehab process has brought his 2025 campaign to an abrupt end. While the details of Montas’ prognosis and timeline for return won’t be clear until the Mets make an announcement offering more information, the club will be without the right-hander for at least the immediate future. Given the fact that Montas’ performance was poor enough that he was bumped from the rotation earlier this month, perhaps that’s not too massive of a blow. Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga, David Peterson and Clay Holmes remain in the club’s rotation and have recently been joined by top prospect Nolan McLean. Brandon Waddell and Justin Hagenman remain in the minors already on the 40-man roster as potential depth options behind that group, and well-regarded prospect Brandon Sproat has a 4.24 ERA in 24 starts at Triple-A this year. Replacing Montas on the roster is Brazoban, who began his career in the majors with Miami back in 2022 but has served as an up-and-down relief arm for the Mets this year. It’s a role he’s performed quite well in, with a 3.83 ERA and 4.14 FIP across 51 2/3 innings of work spread between 3 starts and 41 relief outings. Brazoban figures to take up Montas' mantle as the club’s long reliever going forward.
Buccaneers' Shilo Sanders may have jeopardized chance to make 53-man roster
Saturday was not a good day for Shedeur Sanders and Shilo Sanders, two players competing for a spot on the 53-man roster of their respective teams, the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hours after Shedeur took more sacks (five) than completions (three) and had a heated moment with Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, Shilo was ejected from the Buccaneers' preseason game against the Buffalo Bills. "Bucs S Shilo Sanders has been ejected from tonight's game following an unnecessary roughness penalty," Scott Smith of the Buccaneers posted on X. Shilo appeared to take exception to Zach Davidson hitting and blocking him after a play had ended before the rookie took a swing at the Bills' tight end. The ejection came at a bad time for Shilo, who was competing with Kaevon Merriweather and Rashad Wisdom for the No. 4 safety spot on the depth chart. Before the game, Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that Shilo's output against the Bills would be big in his evaluation before the team has to trim the roster to 53 players by Tuesday. "Shilo's very aggressive, very young, very hungry," Bowles said. "He can make plays in the box and we know he can run down and give us 100% on special teams, so this last week is going to be very important for those guys to show up." Following the ejection, Shilo lost critical playing time to show his strengths on the field. He also showed the coaching staff a short temper and cost Tampa Bay with an unnecessary penalty. Shilo will end his preseason with four total tackles. He has shown he has the talent to be in the league, but Shilo's role will likely be as a practice squad player until his play and mental strength develop.
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