Penguins Update: Is it Miller Time?

During a recent interview, Penguins POHO/GM Kyle Dubas shared his plans to improve the team through good old-fashioned hockey trades while eschewing free agents.

Based on the list of available UFAs, a wise direction in my book. Indeed, I’ve already documented the paucity of viable left-side defensemen who’ll be available come July 1.

As for potential trade targets, the Golden Knights’ Nicolas Hague and Bowen Byram of the Sabres are pending RFAs who could be on the block. According to recent reports, another prominent RFA defender might be available as well.

The Rangers’ K’Andre Miller.

For the unfamiliar, Miller’s a 25-year-old, left-shot defenseman who stands 6’5” and tips the scales at 210 pounds. He’s a good skater and fairly mobile for his size. The St. Paul native also possesses decent offensive skills, setting career-bests of nine goals and 43 points two seasons ago.

As for physicality, despite his imposing frame Miller isn’t a heavyweight (his lone NHL fight came against ex-Pen John Marino) but he’ll use the body (a career-high 162 hits in ’22-23) and block shots. With a career ATOI of 21:27, he’s a minute-muncher capable of handling a heavy workload.

In short, kind of a Ron Stackhouse-type all-arounder. (A lot of younger fans will ask Ron who?)

So what’s the going rate for an established NHL defenseman entering his prime?

There’s the catch, on two levels. Given the previously mentioned dearth of left-side defensemen on the free-agent market, there’s liable to be stiff competition for Miller’s services, and at a stiff price to boot.

Is it outrageous to think the Rangers might demand a first-round pick? More precisely, their first-round pick, the one we excised from the Canucks in the Marcus Pettersson deal? Which means in essence we’d be acquiring Miller for Pettersson.

No offense to the Dragon, but that’s a trade I make all day long and twice on Sunday.

However, there’s also the not-so-small matter of compensation. Miller will likely seek a significant pay hike over the $3.87 million per he earned on his current contract, along with some term. While the Pens will have in the neighborhood of $24 million in available cap space, we could be looking at a deal well in excess of the one bestowed on Ryan Graves a couple of summers ago.

Is Miller worth it?

There are a couple of caution flags. Like so many big men, including the aforementioned Stackhouse, Miller doesn’t necessarily play with Kamikaze intensity. While it hasn’t been a precipitous decline, his stats—traditional and otherwise—have dipped the past couple of seasons.

By coincidence, who served as a Rangers assistant during that time?

The Pens’ new coach, Dan Muse.

While there’s no direct cause-and-effect link—Phil Housley coached the Rangers’ ‘d’—an intriguing juxtaposition.

It should be noted, according to JFresh, Miller’s overall WAR remains a solid 60 as a first-pairing defenseman.

Yet another factor. Would the Rangers even consider an in-division trade when there are likely to be suitors outside the Metro?

For the sake of argument, let’s say the Rangers want that first-round pick.

Should Dubas pursue Miller?

I’ll let you decide.