He would be available to sign and join the Rangers' youthful defense corps after his college season concludes. Thirteen former University of Wisconsin men's hockey players started the 2018-19 season on the roster of an NHL team. "Her motivation to even get me to this point pushed me every day to hopefully give back to her for all the things she sacrificed.". "He's grown a lot as a player since a lot of us saw him before drafting him," says Chris Drury, the Rangers' assistant general manager. Though Drury says the team will continue evaluating him over the course of this season before making a decision about when to sign him, Miller's upward trend developmentally at least puts him in the conversation to officially join the organization as early as this spring. "But we didn't play a smart game in the first half of the game. Bold predictions for the second half of the NHL season: No Kane trade? We're trying to get two points every night and just focusing on that.". "Every team does their homework -- we're no different," Drury says. Todd D. Milewski covers Wisconsin Badgers hockey and the UW Athletic Department for the Wisconsin State Journal. There's a lot of things to like. "I couldn't name one thing," Miller said when asked about his mother's influence. Hes almost like my father figure. "Its what he's doing, definitely," Gallant said. Thats natural. Miller was one of the first to verbally commit to Badgers coach Tony Granato after he was hired in 2016. "Obviously, [Rangers director of player personnel] Gordie [Clark] and our staff of amateur scouts had a good read on him. He's blossoming into a real good defenseman and key contributor for us. NHL midseason report cards: From eight A's to two F's, Wyshynski's NHL midseason awards: The best and worst players, jerseys, teams and moments, NHL Power Rankings: Each team's best 2022-23 addition, 2023 NHL All-Star Weekend: Everything you need to know, Men's college hockey: Top teams, best players, Frozen Four picks, Lineup picks, matchups, start or sit advice for Wednesday, Expectations vs production: Disappointing fantasy hockey picks, Seth Jones rallies Blackhawks past Sabres 4-3 in overtime, Flyers rebound from worst loss of season, beat Ducks 5-2, Ranking the top 100 NHL prospects for 2019-20, Ranking all 31 NHL prospect pipelines: Why the Rangers are No. "He's grown a lot as a player since a lot of us saw him before drafting him," says Chris Drury, the Rangers' assistant general manager. Having him in my life was huge.. [10] One of those seven points was the Badgers' first goal of the season, which broke open scoring on a 30 win over the Boston College Eagles on October 12, 2018. As a rookie playing alongside Jacob Trouba, Miller established himself as a part of the Rangers' young core, consistently seeing over 20 minutes of ice time per game and earning NHL All-Rookie Team honors at the end of the season. Hockey forces you to grow up sooner in a lot of cases. 13 Jan 2023 02:41:41 Catch NHL games streaming live every night (and on replay) this season on ESPN+. He's posted seven points in that span and is up to 23 (five goals and 18 assists) for the season. But interestingly, none of that came up when asked what a successful career would look like for him. "It's pretty easy for myself to focus up for these types of games when I have support like that., On Wednesday, the 22-year-old defenseman spoke to lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, about "what this year means for me and my career and my family.". The communication arts major had a conversation with his academic advisor about it and is taking a few classes this semester that he hopes will help him learn some more of the ins and outs of doing charitable work. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he did not join the team until the 202021 season. "We had some good shifts (and) some tougher ones," Lafrenire said." As a freshman at Wisconsin in 2018-19, Miller had a spectacular season before injury cost him the last few weeks of the campaign. Amy always found a way. And his ability to adapt and make rapid strides at a difficult position only enhanced how he was viewed as a prospect. I didn't have brothers or sisters -- it was just me and my mom.". MADISON, Wisconsin -- K'Andre Miller, a sophomore defenseman for the Wisconsin Badgers' men's hockey team, has a star quality about him that is unmistakable, whether he's on the ice or off. That's already a career high, with 39 games to go. [23] Playing on the second defensive pair with Trouba, Miller quickly became a staple in the Rangers roster, logging over 20 minutes of ice time per game and contributing on both the power play and penalty kill units. K'Andre Miller is the son of Fairmont High School graduate Amy Sokoloski. At one of the biggest moments of his life to date, KAndre Miller shared a hug with his mom. Then finally we started getting pucks below the goal line and getting some chances, but we caused a lot of our own (issues) tonight.". Now a sophomore at Wisconsin and a blue-chip prospect for an Original Six franchise, his biggest dream is finally within reach. He's an important player for us. But the most egregious error came less than a minute later. Miller was born on January 21, 2000, in Saint Paul, Minnesota,[1] and he was raised by single mother Amy Sokoloski in Hopkins. After his time in the development program, Miller spent two seasons with the Wisconsin Badgers while also appearing in two consecutive IIHF World Junior Championships. The Rangers (24-12-7) were on the verge of being shutout for the third time this season when the stunning play materialized. Madison native and former Badgers defenseman Rob Andringa is scheduled to do color commentary for eight broadcasts this season, less than a year after a colon cancer diagnosis. Pipeline rankings for all 31 teams I thought our guys gutted it out and played hard against a real good team.". Amy asked her manager at work for extra hours so she could replace the broken sticks. "Obviously, with these coaches [at Wisconsin], you're not going to find that anywhere else. Verified. "The biggest thing, I think, is having an impact on other people," Miller says of his career ahead. [33] In March 2020, shortly after he signed with the Rangers, Miller was a victim of Zoombombing during a Rangers video chat, with a hacker interrupting his Q&A to repeatedly make racial slurs using the Zoom chat function. The Rangers have been lining up with 24-year-old Ryan Lindgren, 22-year-old Miller and 21-year-old Zac Jones on the left side of their defense. K'Andre Miller (born January 21, 2000) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Miller was still learning the position when the Rangers called his name, but he seemed to be an especially quick study. "The biggest thing, I think, is having an impact on other people," Miller says of his career ahead. His goal was a beauty. Miller is the exceedingly proud son of Amy Sokoloski, who raised him as a single mom in Minnesota. He's a critical piece of one of college hockey's most talented teams. Miller is already taking steps in that direction while in school. It started with a shot from Artemi Panarin, with the rebound creating chaos in front of the net. Credit Panarin and Mika Zibanejad for a relentless effort in the lead-up to the goal, with both scratching and clawing to throw shots at Oettinger and keep the possession alive. MADISON, Wisconsin -- K'Andre Miller, a sophomore defenseman for the Wisconsin Badgers' men's hockey team, has a star quality about him that is unmistakable, whether he's on One time, Miller was preparing to head to Winnipeg, Manitoba, for a tournament Miller described as a "pretty big deal" in his hockey-playing life at that point. He coached two others in juniors, Dan Boeser and Tom Preissing. We have a pretty cool relationship, Miller said of Helling. [35], Miller attended the 2018 NHL draft with his mother, former MLB pitcher Rick Helling, and Helling's daughter Jordyn. Amy asked her manager at work for extra hours so she could replace the broken sticks. Lafrenire entered the game with a big opportunity after Gallant tapped him to fill in for the injured Chris Kreider, who sat out with an upper-body ailment he suffered in Tuesday's 4-3 shootout win over the Minnesota Wild. The New York Rangers noticed it, too. He also played baseball alongside football and hockey. K'Andre Miller, the son of 1988 Fairmont High School graduate Amy Sokoloski, scored the game-winning goal at 11:46 of the third period as the New York Rangers were 2-1 winners over the New Jersey Devils in an exhibition game tonight at Madison Square Garden. Amy asked her manager at work for extra hours so she could replace the broken sticks. At the time he was shooting those tennis balls, he still thought he was a forward. Moments like those have added up over the years: The mom who made it all possible and the kid who used to draw nets on the wall in his building's parking garage where he'd shoot tennis ball after tennis ball. And his ability to adapt and make rapid strides at a difficult position only enhanced how he was viewed as a prospect. But interestingly, none of that came up when asked what a successful career would look like for him. Helling climbed the ranks in a different sport in a different era, but the commonalities between him and Miller make the connection real. Hopkins native K'Andre Miller", "Rangers Trade Up to Nab Defenseman K'Andre Miller", "K'Andre Miller is first Minnesotan taken, 22nd overall by Rangers", "Rangers select defenseman K'Andre Miller at 22", "Eau Claire hockey star Emberson verbally commits to Wisconsin", "K'Andre Miller Impressing in First Year at Wisconsin", "Miller named HCA National Rookie of the Month", "Miller named HCA National Rookie of the Month for December", "Wisconsin Badgers' K'Andre Miller named a finalist for Big Ten's freshman of the year award", "Wisconsin Badgers' K'Andre Miller suspended for violation of men's hockey team rules", "Rangers' K'Andre Miller: Suspension lifted, set for opener", "K'Andre Miller signs entry-level contract with Rangers", "K'Andre Miller signs with New York Rangers after sophomore season with Badgers men's hockey team", "Rangers sign ex-Wisconsin defenseman K'Andre Miller", "Amid seasons uspension, the signing of K'Andre Miller is a bright spot for New York Rangers", "K'Andre Miller earns NY Rangers' roster spot: 'I've never been so prepared for a season', "K'Andre Miller offers Rangers a bright spot despite a blown lead in Pittsburgh", "Wraparound: Eichel finally enters goal column as Sabres defeat Rangers 32", "K'Andre Miller's confidence builds as he does 'heavy lifting' for New York Rangers", "How New Divisions, Schedule Will Work in 202021 NHL Season", "Rangers miss playoffs, struggles against East elite among reasons", "Rangers' K'Andre Miller looks to build on stellar rookie season", "K'Andre Miller may have found something in Rangers' last few games", "Big Goals: Ovechkin ties Hull, K'Andre Miller goes coast-to-coast", "Wisconsin Badgers' weary K'Andre Miller sees World Juniors experience as steppingstone for 2020 tournament", "Rangers prospect K'Andre Miller weighs in on George Floyd's death and his own experience with racism", "Rangers Prospect K'Andre Miller Faces Racial Abuse in a Team Video Chat", "Rangers' K'Andre Miller speaks out after being target of racist Zoom hack", "Behind the scenes with the Wisconsin Badgers' future NHL stars", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=K%27Andre_Miller&oldid=1134461547, 20th-century African-American sportspeople, 21st-century African-American sportspeople, Ice hockey players from Saint Paul, Minnesota, National Hockey League first-round draft picks, Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey players, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Biographical information and career statistics from, This page was last edited on 18 January 2023, at 20:37. The Rangers, who had several of their most important prospects sign contracts last summer, have no problem waiting a little longer for one of their potential future stars on defense. Kid from Minnesota, small town, single mom. After sacrifices from his mother, a difficult position change and college hockey growing pains, Miller is now a big part of New York's future on defense. But three days before it began, he broke both of his hockey sticks, which have become pretty expensive these days. "I didn't feel like I was really ready or prepared for that next step yet," Miller says. It was the path Miller felt was the best way to achieve his ultimate goal. "It's always kind of been my goal. He broke his stick on Tyler Seguin's back and was called for roughing, handing the Stars their first power play of the evening. Miller is the exceedingly proud son of Amy Sokoloski, who raised him as a single mom in Minnesota. Former NHL standout and current UW coach Tony Granato has been trying to reshape a program that has fallen away from the college hockey elite, having not appeared in the NCAA tournament since 2014. That sent the game into OT, where it was Fox's turn to play the role of hero. We've obviously gotten really close over the years and it's special a bond.". MADISON, Wisconsin -- K'Andre Miller, a sophomore defenseman for the Wisconsin Badgers' men's hockey team, has a star quality about him that is unmistakable, whether he's on the ice or off. The Rangers may not have to wait much longer to see what Miller can bring to the table at the next level. As the Rangers look to continue building up their franchise, they know they need special types of players. He left Minnetonka after two years to join the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, with which he spent two seasons playing in the United States Hockey League and in international tournaments like the 2016 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2018 IIHF World U18 Championships. 22. Strong support system has helped Wisconsin Badgers defenseman K'Andre Miller become a top hockey talent. "We supported the puck and we didn't give them a whole lot of second or third chances. And during that series, some of the improvement Miller has shown as more of a true defender was on display, as the Badgers collectively held the Bulldogs to just three goals over the two games. [30], After aging out of under-18 tournaments, Miller represented the United States junior team at back-to-back IIHF World Junior Championships (WJC). A converted forward, he has a big 6-foot-4, 211-pound frame, raw athleticism and tremendous skating ability. Miller's time at Wisconsin has shown him what it's like to be part of a rebuild, too. Select this result to view Amy Sokoloski's phone number, address, and more. Miller is already taking steps in that direction while in school. "If I didn't have that, her willingness to do whatever she could to see me succeed, I wouldn't have been able to do this," he says. But with Miller and the rest of the talent on the Badgers' roster, that might not be until after the NCAA Frozen Four in April. He was referring to his pending restricted free agency, with a new contract looming this summer. And he credits the lessons she taught him, the people she put in his life and how she let him go at 16 years old to put himself in a better position to pursue his dreams. It was the path Miller felt was the best way to achieve his ultimate goal. He was at UW for the college careers of Jake Gardiner and Tom Gilbert, two Minnesotans who made the move in high school and parlayed their success into NHL careers. [11][12] Although his season came to a premature end after suffering a leg injury during a February 9 game against the OSU Buckeyes, Miller finished the season with five goals, 22 points, and a +7 rating, and he was a finalist for Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year. Gallant said he would be re-evaluated over the weekend. The Wild lead 2-1 She worked hard to allow her only child to achieve his dreams, and her example has stuck with Miller and drives him. And he credits the lessons she taught him, the people she put in his life and how she let him go at 16 years old to put himself in a better position to pursue his dreams. I still, to this day, think he could have played college football if he wanted to, Helling said. I didn't have brothers or sisters -- it was just me and my mom.". I just realize that not everyone has it as good as some of us. Rotowire Dec 18, 2022. We kept turning it over in those areas. Catch NHL games streaming live every night (and on replay) this season on ESPN+. He's a big, fast kid I guess I can't speak to that but when he puts it all together like that, it's fun to watch. "A first-round pick like K'Andre -- you don't just want good players but good people. "We didn't come from the richest family. The Verona native turned heads and opened doors with a 10-goal debut season with the Badgers. Having just added one of the nation's best recruiting classes, the Badgers look to Miller as a leader even though he's only a sophomore. Add in coachability. ", 2020 NHL draft rankings The team got to see Millers resolve in person at their rookie development camp after the draft. "what this year means for me and my career and my family. For the game, they limited a first-place Dallas team to 25 shots. You try to keep it simple. Tischke had chances to sign a pro contract after his junior season, and it wasn't the first time that his Badgers career almost ended. 6 in both major men's college hockey polls. During his sophomore year of high school, he made the switch to defense, but it wasn't until his first year at the NTDP that Miller played an entire season as a blueliner. Just prior to the season, Miller was suspended for an unspecified violation of team rules, causing him to miss an intrasquad game. Wisconsin State Journal reporter Todd Milewski takes a position-by-position look at the 2018-19 Wisconsin Badgers men's hockey roster. "My mom is one of the biggest inspirations in my life, probably will ever be in my life," Miller says. We felt that he fit that mold. Growing up, I always went to him if I had any questions. "Her motivation to even get me to this point pushed me every day to hopefully give back to her for all the things she sacrificed.". The New York Rangers noticed it, too. Realize how special this is., When we had that conversation, it really put into perspective what Ive worked (for), working hard every day, trying to get to that goal of one day being drafted in the NHL, he said. Top 100 NHL prospects He's a fixture on many of USA Hockey's international tournament teams. MADISON, Wisconsin -- K'Andre Miller, a sophomore defenseman for the Wisconsin Badgers' men's hockey team, has a star quality about him that is unmistakable, whether he's on the ice or off.
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