Offseason Thoughts Pt. 2: Miller Trade, Getting Into the Top 10, Gavrikov

I penned a nice 1,300 word story that got obliterated when Chris Drury elected to finalize the J.T. Miller trade by sending the 12th overall pick this year to Pittsburgh about a day and a half earlier than he needed to.

Now that I know that information, and have read the tea leaves a little, I think it's safe to just do this type of recap in a notes story that can run before things really explode.

Let's get weird.

• The timing of Drury relinquishing the pick to Pittsburgh is strange to me. I said this on the podcast (which hasn't gone live yet), "it means something, I just don't know what that something is." Sure, the 36 hours of extra notice really doesn't change much of anything, but there's also no reason to give Pittsburgh that extra time to know what their assets are unless it's not about them. The thing is, I can't figure out what the gain would be for the Rangers. Drury keeping his 2026 first round pick allows the Rangers to be players on the offer sheet market, sure, but even that you would sort of want to keep close to your vest if you could. In the end the timing doesn't change anything from a Drury perspective, it's just strange to me to do it early. I would have waited until the last minute.
• A lot of people enjoy dunking on Drury for everything these days, but I do think this decision was the right one to make. Drury canvased the market to see what the worth of the pick was from a trade perspective, looked at the big draft board and who would be available, and elected the 2026 first was a more valuable asset to hold onto it. I agreed with that sentiment before Drury made the decision, but I feel a lot better about it now that he went through the process to feel out the market.
• Which brings us to K'Andre Miller. It seems to be all but assured he's going to be traded over the next week or so. Knowing that the minimum offer sheet compensation Miller would require is a first and a third next year, the baseline of a first round pick coming back makes sense. My gut is telling me Drury looked at the board, looked at Miller, and thought he can both keep his 2026 first and get back into the first round this year (likely in a better drafting slot than 12) by dangling Miller. (I also want to make it clear I think Miller was not in the long term plans and this is just a happy way to close those loops.)
• I have heard from a bunch of places the Rangers really, really love Roger McQueen, and were just not confident he was going to be there at 12. (Chris and Roberto have McQueen going to the Bruins at seventh overall in their Mock Draft.) Depending on where Miller goes and what comes back, the Rangers might be able to make that happen. I had heard whispers the Rangers were looking to trade up, and well ...