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Count John Scott as a big fan of what the New York Rangers accomplished this offseason. The former NHL enforcer believes the Rangers vastly improved their defense corps with two major moves \u2014 trading K\u2019Andre Miller and signing free-agent Vladislav Gavrikov.<\/p>\n
In fact, Scott tied the pair of moves into one because one wouldn\u2019t have happened without the other. So, he sees trading Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes<\/a> as a 4-for-1 winner in the Rangers favor.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s insane. I don\u2019t think people realize how good that is,\u201d Scott raved on a recent Dropping the Gloves podcast<\/a>. \u201c[Rangers general manager Chris Drury] turned K\u2019Andre Miller into Gavrikov, a first [round draft pick], a second, and a prospect, Scott Morrow, who could potentially crack the lineup this year for the New York Rangers.\u201d<\/p>\n Scott called Gavrikov an \u201cincredible defensemen.\u201d The 29-year-old signed a seven-year, $49 million contract with the Rangers<\/a> on July 1 after he was the top defenseman one on of the League\u2019s best defensive teams (the Los Angeles Kings) last season.<\/p>\n Considering the Rangers were, in Scott\u2019s words, \u201chorrendous in their D zone\u201d in 2024-25, it was clear their biggest need was finding a stud defender to stabilize things in their own end. Gavrikov was their No. 1 target, and landing him was a coup in Scott\u2019s opinion.<\/p>\n Though there\u2019s some speculation about whether coach Mike Sullivan will put Gavrikov immediately on the top pair with Adam Fox, or choose to try out a shutdown second pair with Gavrikov and Will Borgen, remains to be seen in training camp. But Scott leaves little doubt about where he thinks Gavrikov will play.<\/p>\n \u201cAdam Fox will be paired with him. They will play 25 minutes a game and they will be very, very good. They will be downright scary to play against,\u201d the former Rangers forward said confidently. \u201cGavrikov will be that security blanket. Fox will be able to roam, and Fox is a good defensive defenseman too, don\u2019t get me wrong. So, this is a very scary pairing. I like this. And you have a coach in Mike Sullivan who knows how to deploy them.\u201d<\/p>\n Related: How Vladislav Gavrikov fits Rangers shift to \u2018quieter\u2019 defense<\/a><\/p>\n John Scott declares Rangers did right trading \u2018completely uncoachable\u2019 K\u2019Andre Miller<\/p>\n So, sold on Gavrikov is Scott that he said the newcomer is a \u201cmassive upgrade on Ryan Lindgren,\u201d Fox\u2019s longtime defense partner. And that\u2019s after Scott detailed how the Lindgren-Fox pair was one of the best in the League for several years.<\/p>\n The Rangers traded Lindgren to the Colorado Avalanche ahead of the deadline in his walk year last March. Lindgren signed a four-year, $18 million contract<\/a> with the Seattle Kraken on July 1.<\/p>\n They could\u2019ve re-signed Miller, who was a pending RFA with arbitration rights and possibly partnered him with Fox moving forward. But the Rangers instead traded him, opting to sign Gavrikov instead.<\/p>\n Scott is onboard with that plan. Especially because of the many deficiencies he sees in Miller\u2019s game.<\/p>\n \u201cK\u2019Andre Miller, and I\u2019m going to be kind here because he\u2019s still relatively young and maybe he\u2019s got a high ceiling, last year was garbage,\u201d Scott explained. \u201cThey guy turns the puck over all the time and he\u2019s lost in the defensive zone. He is completely uncoachable, from my standpoint. \u2026 He gets out of position all the time. \u2026 He gets jittery when he\u2019s under pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n Clearly the Hurricanes don\u2019t agree. They signed the 25-year-old to an eight-year, $60 million contract<\/a>, that pays him $500,000 more per season than the Rangers gave Gavrikov.<\/p>\n The fact that the Rangers and Hurricanes are Metropolitan Division rivals makes this a juicy sublot to follow. Not only this season, but for years to come.<\/p>\n And we\u2019ll see if it\u2019s as one-sided a victory for the Rangers as Scott claims it is right now.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\tJim Cerny is Executive Editor at Forever Blueshirts and Managing Editor at Sportsnaut, with more than 30 years of … More about Jim Cerny<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: K’Andre Miller<\/a> Vladislav Gavrikov<\/a> <\/p>\n![\"NHL:](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/NHL-New-York-Rangers-at-Columbus-Blue-Jackets-25374401-788x525.jpg\")
Samantha Madar\/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images<\/p>\n![\"avatar\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1756599370_134_jim-cerny.jpeg\")
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