The New York Rangers precariously hold onto the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. After losing 5-4 to the Ducks in overtime, GM Chris Drury has his work cut out for him, and he'll have to decide if he's securing an extension with defenseman K'Andre Miller or trading him.
K'Andre Miller has the makings of a top defenseman in the NHL. His skating ability is great, and he has offensive upside, along with the physicality needed to impose his will on the ice.
However, as an RFA the Rangers will have to decide whether or not they are prioritizing the developing defenseman, before another team decides to offer-sheet him, a reality which could happen in today's NHL.
While a raising salary cap is a promising prospect for Miller's future extension, nothing is certain. Here are a few teams who could afford to snatch him away.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are flush with cap space at the moment, with $39 million to spend. With defensive upgrades needed in the lineup, a player like K'Andre Miller could hasten the rebuild, while giving players like Kevin Korchinski, Artyom Levshunov, and Alex Vlasic a chance to grow and mature.
He'd be an excellent fit in the lineup and would give the team a two-way defenseman a fresh start. Like others who have found a new home in Chicago, they've done it under an atmosphere that has no pressure and allows players like Ryan Donato to flourish.
It could come down to a bidding war between both GM Chris Drury and GM Kyle Davidson, we're unsure if Drury would win, though.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets have $53.6 million in cap space available for the 2025-2026 season and are poised to upgrade their defense in the offseason.
Dante Fabbro and Ivan Provorov are set to hit free agency in July, and K'Andre Miller could complement Zach Werenski's game well.
However, the Montreal Canadiens own their 2026 2nd-round pick which was moved with Patrik Laine.
Nevertheless, Don Waddell could do a lot with $53 million, and stealing a rival team's defenseman would be a great move for the team.
