K’Andre Miller returned to the ice after having been excused from one game and one practice for what the Rangers described, “as personal reasons,” but the 23-year-old defenseman may not be ready to rejoin the lineup for Friday night’s match at the Garden against Anaheim.
“Obviously I missed the last couple of days due to a personal issue. [I] don’t feel too comfortable talking about right now, but I’m doing better, I’m in a better headspace,” Miller said following Thursday’s practice. “I’m happy to be back with the guys and get back on the ice.”
Miller was a full participant in the club’s 50-minute practice but he did not skate in pairs with joined-at-the-hip partner Jacob Trouba.
Erik Gustafsson formed the tandem with the captain, reprising the pair from Tuesday’s 7-3 defeat to Toronto.
Hence, the question first to Miller and then to head coach Peter Laviolette about Miller’s status for this upcoming match that kicks off a back-to-back that concludes in Boston on Saturday.
“I just tried to focus on getting back to the rink, having a good practice and getting my feet under me and just try and get moving out there,” he said. “Still, there are some things up in the air and obviously the coaches have the final say.”
Miller is second on the team in ice-time, his 22:11 per game second to Trouba’s 22:33.
He has recorded five goals and seven assists (4-1 in his last eight matches) while on the ice for 22 goals for and 20 against at five-on-five. Factoring empty-netters and shorthanded goals, he is a plus-five.
But Miller, who had missed only six games since joining the league in 2020-21 before Tuesday—two for an upper-body injury and one for COVID protocol as a freshman; three serving a suspension last year for spitting at Drew Doughty—may be sidelined for a second straight contest.
“We’re working through the lineup, but it was great to have him out here right now,” Laviolette said. “Getting him back on the ice and having a great day of practice, that’s where he wanted to be and that was good.
“We’re still making a decision [about Friday’s game].”
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