Prospect Info: K'Andre Miller (D) - Part III

[True Blue]

There are a lot of facets to racism and why it exists.

It's not so much that white privilege exists. Women and minorities have been at a disadvantage in most places/time periods of America, that's undeniable. But it's also true that being white is a disadvantage in other areas of America. So is being any color depending on where you are. Hell you could live in a small town that loves football but you're short and weak so youre a victim of muscle privilege. Power disparities exist bc of social constructs, mental and physical differences.

Does racism exist? Sure it does. And unfortunately, it applies to people of all races and colors.

Power disparities exist because of what some people are willing to do and what some are not. Let's not paint the country as some sort of dystopian wasteland.

Today, people look for a lot of excuses. A creation of a swaddle generation and cries "Victim!" for anything that they believe is not being simply handed to them.

White privilege is taking that fact and twisting it into something divisive under the guise of trying to "fix racism" and virtue points. It's not that the privilege or advantage isnt real. Its just about how people decide to deal with it and talk about it.

You can say the same exact thing about the cancel culture and the safe space culture.

Humans are also tribalistic through our basic nature. Color is one of those separators in our dumb animal brains so it's not all about hatred. That's why people can have black friends and still look down on areas with high black populations or be turned off by the idea of interracial coupling.

Human beings are people and are such flawed. If you want to look for perfection, you will be looking for a long time. Yes, there are people who look at color as a separator. But there are a lot more people that are color blind. Claiming the US as a whole is a racist country and everything that was done has been rooted in racism is not seeing the world past your own nose.

People are absolute morons is what it comes down to. And this guy on the miller stream certainly was a moron.

People are people and this guy was a moron.

We are dumb, stupid asshole animals with a penchant for treating others like shit for being different. The concept of white privilege is mostly just another tool used to be dumb, stupid, shitty assholes towards one group.

And that is the definition of a hot take.

 

[Thirty One]

OK, I'm ready for hockey to be back.

 

[Tawnos]

OK, I'm ready for hockey to be back.

I think if you were being honest with yourself, you’d realize you were never truly ready for it to leave.

I’m very disappointed in you.

 

[Thirty One]

I think if you were being honest with yourself, you’d realize you were never truly ready for it to leave.

I’m very disappointed in you.

I wasn't, but I underestimated just how unsuitable True Blue analyzing every social issue is as a replacement for hockey discussion.

 

[Tawnos]

I wasn't, but I underestimated just how unsuitable True Blue analyzing every social issue is as a replacement for hockey discussion.

It’s a low bar though, since almost all discussion is unsuitable as a replacement for hockey discussion.

 

[Leetch3]

Analyzing the top 10 prospects for the NY Rangers: No. 4 K'Andre Miller

 

[mas0764]

It’s important to remember that white privilege isn’t intended to be a blanket thing that applies to every single white individual in the country, even though some people take it that way. That’s not what the concept is about.

For example, one aspect is about availability of emergency financial help. But it doesn’t say “every white person has better access to emergency financial help.” When people talk about this in regards to white privilege, they say “a white person is *more likely* to be able to get access to $2500 for an emergency through their network of friends and family than a black person is.” This is based on real studies, not just theories being thrown into the ether. The more likely part of the statement is incredibly important. It doesn’t mean every single white person has this advantage. It doesn’t even mean that there aren’t whole swaths of the white population that don’t have it. It also doesn’t mean that no one in the black population has that kind of advantage.

.... so it’s a stereotype, then.

 

[MrPodz]

Obviously what happened with miller should never have happened. It was some jackass who was jealous of his success. As for white priveledge, idk. I dont like the term, esp being russian. I know it sounds wierd but russians always view themselves as russians or slavs, not really white per se. I once had someone come up to me in a class and ask "do you know what you white people did to black people". I said yea, we said screw them, and enslaved our own people as serfs. Howevrr, in total honesty, do not ask a typical russians opinion on the lgbtq community. They uh will not answer gracefully and I dont agree with them. I try to follow the idea that I judge you based on ur personality. Racial tensions really shld ease up. I hope that times like this can allow an opportunity to do so.

 

[MrPodz]

Also, why do people think miller had a bad year? He was on a bad team, and yes he had a bad international showing, but he didnt play abd for wisconsin. They just... didnt click as a teasm.

 

[cwede]

Also, why do people think miller had a bad year? He was on a bad team, and yes he had a bad international showing, but he didnt play abd for wisconsin. They just... didnt click as a teasm.

he wasn't terrible at WJC,
but damn, that late, game-winning turnover, to this year's top draft-eligible F ...

 

[Leetch3]

in general I hate anytime someone uses the argument 'do you even watch' or 'have you ever played' but when it comes to prospects you really need to pay attention and try to differential between people that are able to watch the kids regularly and people that are stat/highlight watching.

miller put up bigger than expected numbers as freshman so then in comparison his sophomore numbers were viewed as disappointing, they were terrible but not as good. But those numbers don't tell you anything about the rest of his game. everyone brings up that he is fairly new to defense, well what if he was focused 100% this year on his defensive play and was willing to sacrifice the offense cause he knows its there...the overall progress and development of a prospect isn't always reflective in stats if those aren't the things the kid needs to improve.

 

[Edge]

I don't think Miller has an abysmal season, but he didn't have a great one either.

He was good overall. The challenge is that he was great his freshman year. So when you compare the two, it's inevitably going to feel like a let down.

Personally, I think throwing him into the AHL is a bit of a risk. However, now that he's fully focused on hockey, it could very well be beneficial for him.

 

[Leetch3]

https://nypost.com/2020/06/01/range...-racist-zoom-hack-amid-george-floyd-protests/

 

[Gardner McKay]

https://nypost.com/2020/06/01/range...-racist-zoom-hack-amid-george-floyd-protests/

It is beyond disappointing that some of our fellow Rangers fans would act this way. I don't believe for a second they were all fans of other teams.

I hope now more than ever that this kid is our future captain.

 

[LokiDog]

in general I hate anytime someone uses the argument 'do you even watch' or 'have you ever played' but when it comes to prospects you really need to pay attention and try to differential between people that are able to watch the kids regularly and people that are stat/highlight watching.

miller put up bigger than expected numbers as freshman so then in comparison his sophomore numbers were viewed as disappointing, they were terrible but not as good. But those numbers don't tell you anything about the rest of his game. everyone brings up that he is fairly new to defense, well what if he was focused 100% this year on his defensive play and was willing to sacrifice the offense cause he knows its there...the overall progress and development of a prospect isn't always reflective in stats if those aren't the things the kid needs to improve.

I actually agree with this take pretty well. It’s not a complete product. It’s not Panarin putting up a 70 point year next year and everyone panicking and saying crap, that was a disappointing season, did we over commit to this guy? It’s a kid who is very raw, trying to round out his game in order to turn pro. If he sacrificed a lot of what led to his offensive numbers last year in order to focus on learning to better protect his own end and be a more complete D-man, is that a negative? Even if he wasn’t amazing in focusing more on that defensive aspect, at the expense of his offense, if it still generated progress toward him becoming that better rounded player, is that not progress?

 

[eco's bones]

I think Nils Lundkvist has the edge on K'Andre right now (though there's no real opening on the right side). Lundkvist is more schooled in the fundamentals of playing the position. He broke into the SHL pretty much taking care of his own end and he's expanded on his game since we've drafted him. He's played against better competition as well. Last year for him was a real breakout for him AFAIC. To me he could possibly walk right into the NHL.

K'Andre I think is going to need at least a year. What works for him is there are openings on our left side--but IMO he's still got some shit to work out but I think he'll probably be better doing it in the AHL than another year in Wisconsin U. He's got size and speed and recovers fairly easily on mistakes that he makes at his level. In a sense I see him like a defenseman version of Kreider. Because he was so raw too it took Kreider a few years to figure out what worked for him. So we're going to need to be patient with K'Andre and learn to live with the mistakes he makes. He seems to be a hybrid of things--not strictly defensive or offensive or even physical---there are elements of all those things in his game but it doesn't seem to me he's that defined yet. That's kind of where Kreider was when he left Boston College.

 

[Gardner McKay]

I think Nils Lundkvist has the edge on K'Andre right now (though there's no real opening on the right side). Lundkvist is more schooled in the fundamentals of playing the position. He broke into the SHL pretty much taking care of his own end and he's expanded on his game since we've drafted him. He's played against better competition as well. Last year for him was a real breakout for him AFAIC. To me he could possibly walk right into the NHL.

K'Andre I think is going to need at least a year. What works for him is there are openings on our left side--but IMO he's still got some shit to work out but I think he'll probably be better doing it in the AHL than another year in Wisconsin U. He's got size and speed and recovers fairly easily on mistakes that he makes at his level. In a sense I see him like a defenseman version of Kreider. Because he was so raw too it took Kreider a few years to figure out what worked for him. So we're going to need to be patient with K'Andre and learn to live with the mistakes he makes. He seems to be a hybrid of things--not strictly defensive or offensive or even physical---there are elements of all those things in his game but it doesn't seem to me he's that defined yet. That's kind of where Kreider was when he left Boston College.

In your opinion, would you agree that Miller has the higher ceiling? Or do you think Lundkvist has the higher floor and ceiling at the moment?

 

[eco's bones]

In your opinion, would you agree that Miller has the higher ceiling? Or do you think Lundkvist has the higher floor and ceiling at the moment?

I use to think (or hope) that K'Andre could be the next Seth Jones or Charlie McAvoy. The tools are there but I think he started from too far behind by switching to defense so late that he's ever going to quite get that good. He's still learning the position. It's not like he's shit though--two straight years at the WJC for the USA--not too many players are able to do that.

Right now I think Nils is higher. I think Nils could be another similar to Adam Fox---maybe more of a goal scoring Adam Fox because for one thing you could see he just figured out the SHL towards the end of the season. He was just pumping in a goal every game and looking like Ovechkin doing it. A couple years ago he was pretty much defense first--two years later he's turned into an offensive force at 20 years old.

 

[Gardner McKay]

I use to think (or hope) that K'Andre could be the next Seth Jones or Charlie McAvoy. The tools are there but I think he started from too far behind by switching to defense so late that he's ever going to quite get that good. He's still learning the position. It's not like he's shit though--two straight years at the WJC for the USA--not too many players are able to do that.

Right now I think Nils is higher. I think Nils could be another similar to Adam Fox---maybe more of a goal scoring Adam Fox because for one thing you could see he just figured out the SHL towards the end of the season. He was just pumping in a goal every game and looking like Ovechkin doing it. A couple years ago he was pretty much defense first--two years later he's turned into an offensive force at 20 years old.

Interesting.

Still great though. If Miller becomes a solid top 4 guy combined with Lundkvist, our defense is looking good. I kind of have a soft spot for him though considering he looks an awful lot like my sister boyfriend

 

[eco's bones]

Interesting.

Still great though. If Miller becomes a solid top 4 guy combined with Lundkvist, our defense is looking good. I kind of have a soft spot for him though considering he looks an awful lot like my sister boyfriend

I'd rank the LD prospects this way--1. Miller 2. Robertson 3. Jones 4. Hajek 5. Rykov 6. Reunanen and I think at least 4 of them will be NHL players.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I'd rank the LD prospects this way--1. Miller 2. Robertson 3. Jones 4. Hajek 5. Rykov 6. Reunanen and I think at least 4 of them will be NHL players.

Upside:
1. Miller
2. Robertson
3. Jones
4. Reunanen
5. Hajek
6. Rykov

I think Robertson and Jones have a better chance at being a top-4 defenseman than Miller despite Miller having more upside.

 

[eco's bones]

Upside:
1. Miller
2. Robertson
3. Jones
4. Reunanen
5. Hajek
6. Rykov

I think Robertson and Jones have a better chance at being a top-4 defenseman than Miller despite Miller having more upside.

Maybe but Miller will probably have a head start on Robertson and definitely a head start on Jones. Robertson would almost have to have a killer training camp and make the Rangers to get out ahead of K'Andre and Jones I expect to play one more year at Mass-Amherst. A lot depends on how rapidly Miller starts putting things together. I don't think enough of that was done the last two years.

To me there's no question that Lundkvist is the Rangers best defense prospect right now. If we're counting Shesterkin as still in our prospect pool--Nils is right behind him.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Maybe but Miller will probably have a head start on Robertson and definitely a head start on Jones. Robertson would almost have to have a killer training camp and make the Rangers to get out ahead of K'Andre and Jones I expect to play one more year at Mass-Amherst. A lot depends on how rapidly Miller starts putting things together. I don't think enough of that was done the last two years.

To me there's no question that Lundkvist is the Rangers best defense prospect right now. If we're counting Shesterkin as still in our prospect pool--Nils is right behind him.

Miller is also a year older. I expect him to be better than those two as of now.

 

[egelband]

Miller is also a year older. I expect him to be better than those two as of now.

Didn’t Miller cone to hockey quite late though?

 

[eco's bones]

Miller is also a year older. I expect him to be better than those two as of now.

It's kind of subjective to say that this guy is better than that guy until they're all kind of generally playing against the same level of competition. Miller and Jones are kind of comparable from last year--Robertson's been playing against younger, weaker players. I think there are things that Robertson and Jones probably do better than Miller. Miller just by virtue of his size though is likely going to be a different kind of defenseman than Jones. I can see some decent chance of Robertson making it before Miller but Miller probably has just a bit higher upside.

The classic way of learning to play the defense position would be like Lundkvist or Robertson have done--as they grow and go from level to level of age and competition. They're grounded in their position and defense comes first and then they add the two way offensive side to the mix dependent on their skill set. It's not so great when you make the switch from forward to defense when you're 15 years old and you're playing against a pretty high level of competition for your age. Miller's been playing catch up and I suspect some day he will catch up--he's pretty much got two stages to go--AHL then NHL.