Peter Laviolette is entering his first season as the head coach of the New York Rangers, and this season will be a big test for this team. After coming off an embarrassing first-round exit to the New Jersey Devils, changes were made to the forward core and behind the bench.
However, there were no major changes made to the defense group the Rangers have. They are entering another season with the same top-four, which includes Adam Fox, Ryan Lindgren, K’Andre Miller and the captain, Jacob Trouba. While it is a good group of four, they have all had their struggles the past few seasons, and entering this season, Laviolette should be looking to shake up the top-four. This means switching up who they play with, and that means putting Miller with Fox and Lindgren with Trouba.
Time to See If Miller Can Play Big Minutes
Miller has been a very good defenseman for the Rangers ever since he joined the team at the start of the 2020-21 season. From the get-go, he has been one of the Rangers’ top-four defensemen, and every year, he has been improving both offensively and defensively. He has been partners with Trouba since the beginning, and it was a smart decision to put them together since Trouba is a veteran and could help Miller adjust to playing in the NHL. Now, entering his fourth season, this is the time to see if Miller can play with a different partner and get his game to another level.
While there have been occasions during games that Miller has played with Fox, they have never truly been defensive partners in their time together on the Rangers. If these two players get paired together, they have all the potential in the world to become a top defensive pairing in the league. We all know how good Fox is both offensively and defensively, and if he can teach some of what he does to Miller, it will make the Rangers a more dangerous team, and it will be hard for the opposition to beat them while they are on the ice.
Miller just signed a two-year deal with the Rangers, and in these two years, they need to see what they have in Miller and if he can become a top-two defenseman on this team. We know he can be good in a top-four role, but it’s time to let him sink or swim.
They Already Know What Works Together
Let’s say Laviolette starts the season with the defense pairings being Miller with Fox and Lindgren with Trouba. If the Rangers start the season slowly and these pairs don’t seem to be clicking after having a good amount of games together, he could always go back to what has worked in the past. We know that Fox and Lindgren are an excellent pairing together, and we know that Miller and Trouba, while having struggles, are also a reliable pairing. These duos have been the same for over three seasons now. If all else fails, they know what works well together.
Related: Rangers Will Be A Tough Challenge for Laviolette
Having this knowledge already, Laviolette should have no reservations about shaking up the defensive pairs. Now is the time when you can see what you have in these new pairings, and if they do work out, he has more options to work with in case of injuries, or you can make changes in-game if they are having a bad night. After playing together for the past three seasons, these players should be excited for an opportunity to play with a different partner and expand their game. After last season’s failure, they need to be given more work, not just put back in the same position they are comfortable in.
Fox Can Help Miller Grow His Game
By having Fox paired with Miller, it allows Fox to teach Miller parts of his game that maybe Trouba hasn’t done yet. Since Fox and Trouba both play a different style of game, having Miller use what he learned from Trouba but also what he can learn from Fox will only make him a better overall player for the Rangers.
Miller has Trouba’s size but also has the agility of Fox. While he might not have the same mindset as Fox, he has other tools that Fox doesn’t have, like size and reach. Both of these players can learn from each other if paired together. It is only going to be beneficial for Laviolette and for the players involved to have their defensive pairings switch up to start the season. It will only help them become better players.
