The Rangers will welcome back a key blueliner on Saturday as Mollie Walker of the New York Post relays (Twitter link) that defenseman K’Andre Miller has been activated off injured reserve. In a corresponding move, the team announced (Twitter link) that blueliner Chad Ruhwedel has been returned to AHL Hartford.
Miller has missed a little more than two weeks with an upper-body injury but was believed to be nearing a return before the holiday break so it comes as little surprise that he has been activated now. It has been a rough year for the 24-year-old as he has not been able to get back to the form he had over the past two seasons. After putting up 43 points in 2022-23 and 30 last season, Miller has been limited to just two goals and four assists in 28 games so far this year despite still logging over 21 minutes a night.
The timing of his struggles certainly isn’t ideal from Miller’s perspective. He’s in the final season of his two-year bridge deal and will be a restricted free agent this summer with arbitration rights. At that time, he’ll be owed a $4.646MM qualifying offer but while it looked like he’d vastly exceed that a year ago, that’s less likely to be the case now. Meanwhile, with the team struggling, he’s among the players who have been speculated as potential trade chips as GM Chris Drury looks to reshape his roster.
As for Ruhwedel, he has been shuttled back and forth throughout the last six weeks but NHL playing time has been hard to come by. The 34-year-old has played in just five games with New York so far, collecting one assist in a little over 14 minutes a night of playing time. A veteran of 369 career NHL appearances, Ruhwedel will certainly be among the first recall options whenever another defender is banged up. Ruhwedel also has three assists in 11 appearances with Hartford.
I wonder if Kreider will be traded tomorrow?
I think he would like Dallas. Dallas gives a 2nd for him.
I could see Nill going after Kreider, He could replace Seguin, Who’s probably done for the season.
What happened to this team. I think Mika has to go, we gave away Kappo, and made a mistake with the coach. Should have kept Knobs instead he goes to Edmonton and gets them to finals.
What happened to this team? I’ll tell you. Cancer in lockerroom couse of GM’s moves.. sending away gritty and responsible players who temas needed the most like Goodrow, Trouba, Kakko left with softies like Fox and Miller, Panarin, Zibb, misshandling Rempe, fat cats playing for paychecks, misshandling draft picks since 2017, paying $12.5M a goalie, no PP time for young players, stubborn coach who’s scare to bench vets with minus-15 stat etc..