New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury put quite the exclamation point on a busy first day of NHL free agency Tuesday, not with another big signing, but with a needle-moving trade.

After signing stud free-agent defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and re-upping RFA forward Will Cuylle, Drury put the final touches on a major trade with a division rival. The Rangers parted ways with defenseman K’Andre Miller in return for defenseman Scott Morrow and two draft picks — a conditional first-round selection in 2026 and a second-rounder next year.

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It was no secret that the Rangers were seeking to trade the inconsistent 25-year-old, who was an RFA with arbitration rights. But lately, word was that the Rangers were frustrated in their efforts to consummate a Miller deal, that no one was willing to meet their asking price.

It’s fair to say that most NHL experts were caught off guard by the hefty haul the Rangers got for Miller and the fact that they traded him within the Metropolitan Division. Most trade rumors involving Miller centered on Western Conference teams or the Detroit Red Wings, who are in the Atlantic Division, though still in the East.

Then there was the fact that the Hurricanes committed to an eight-year, $60 million contract with Miller. Clearly, they believe big-time in the 2018 first-round pick.

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“It’s a big price to pay, but we think he’s a great fit for our system,,” Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky said after acquiring Miller. “You hear me talk a lot about how hard our scouting department works to identify players who will fit. He was one of them.”

Considering there’s lots of runway left in the careers of Miller and Morrow, plus the unknown future of those draft picks, it’s impossible right now to predict who’s going to come out ahead in this fascinating deal between teams that compete in the same division.

One thing we do know is that Drury is completing a fairly major overhaul of the Rangers roster, one that began last winter. In are J.T. Miller, Will Borgen, Urho Vaakanainen, Juuso Parssinen, Carson Soucy, Carey Terrance and now Scott Morrow. Out are Jacob Trouba, Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, Chris Kreider, Zac Jones and K’Andre Miller

In it’s simplest terms, this trade — right now — is a win-win. The Rangers grew weary of Miller’s inconsistencies and didn’t want to invest big money long term in him, which is where they were at after five seasons, and just two years away from unrestricted free agency. That they landed two premium picks in what most believe will be a loaded 2026 draft is a great return. The Rangers now have two first-round selections, though the one from the Hurricanes is top-10 protected among other conditions.

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The Rangers could use the picks to further build up their prospects pool, or use one or some ahead of the 2026 trade deadline if they’re in position to make a deal.

Then they also received Carolina’s top prospect, Morrow, a right-shot defenseman who could step into a third-line role on Broadway next season. The 22-year-old is gifted offensively, though needs plenty of work on his defensive game, as was evidenced in the five games he played in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Morrow’s addition allows the Rangers to shift Braden Schneider to the left side of the second defense pairing with Will Borgen if they so choose. It also gives them an intriguing prospect on the blue line who’s younger and less expensive than Miller.

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The best player, though, in this trade is Miller. Despite many question marks regarding his up-and-down two-way game, the bottom line is that he’s been a top-four shutdown defenseman for a team that’s reached the Eastern Conference Final twice in the past four years. His hockey IQ is questionable, but there’s no denying his upside and skill set. The Hurricanes absolutely believe that they can unlock greatness in Miller with their structure and play style. It won’t hurt Miller that he’ll play behind one of the League’s best defensemen in Jaccob Slavin, though that contract could be an albatross.

What makes this trade fascinating, in part, is that it could backfire for either side in dramatic fashion. Such is the case when division rivals make such a rare big trade.

If Miller does thrive under Rod Brind’Amour in Carolina and reach the potential he flashed as late as two seasons ago on Broadway, this trade could kick the Rangers right in the privates. Mike Rupp said on NHL Network that he believes Miller can be among the top-10 best defensemen in the entire NHL. That might be a stretch, but it shows how much some hockey people still believe in Miller, who, remember, should still have his best hockey in front of him.

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Miller skating with the Stanley Cup above his head is Drury’s worst nightmare. It’d be much worse than watching Niko Mikkola do so two springs in a row for the Florida Panthers.

That said, this trade shows Drury doesn’t believe that will be the case. And Miller’s erratic play last season provides justification for Drury’s reasoning to trade him. If Drury’s right, the Hurricanes will rue that $60 million investment. It’ll only get worse for Carolina if Morrow emerges as a star or if the Rangers land a stud or with those draft picks.

For years to come, we will be debating how Miller and/or the Rangers haul are helping decide which team finishes higher in the Metropolitan Division. That’s fun for us. But a lot of pressure for each GM and his team.

The Rangers likely couldn’t have made this trade had they not first signed Gavrikov in free agency, The Rangers believe that Gavrikov is a clear upgrade over Miller and worth a seven-year commitment, even though he’s four years older. That they landed Gavrikov for a lower average annual value ($7 million compared to $7.5 million) than Miller is an added bonus. At least for now. If Miller outplays him for years to come, all bets are off.

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The Rangers prefer Gavrikov’s steadiness and the stability he brings on the back end. He’s not a dynamic defenseman, but he is solid. He’s also more physical than Miller. However, Miller’s upside at age 25 is a clear X Factor here.

But what would the Rangers have done is Gavrikov re-signed with the Los Angeles Kings or signed elsewhere in free agency? With Ivan Provorov already re-upped with the Columbus Blue Jackets, there was no clear-cut top-four left-shot defenseman on the market. Without an obvious replacement, the Rangers couldn’t have risked dealing Miller away. No, Brian Dumoulin wouldn’t get it done.

So, an intriguing subplot to evaluating this trade moving forward will be the Gavrikov-Miller comparison. Next season and for years to come. It’ll be fair to compare the two defensemen head to head because none of this happens if the Rangers didn’t choose Gavrikov over Miller.

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