On Day 1 of NHL free agency, the Rangers not only signed Vladislav Gavrikov, but they also made a trade, re-signed an important young player, and signed three veterans.
In the early evening of Tuesday July 1, the Carolina Hurricanes completed a sign and trade for 25-year-old left handed defenseman K’Andre Miller rather than offer sheeting him, who was a restricted free agent.
The deal includes the Rangers receiving a conditional 2026 first, a 2026 second round pick and right handed defenseman Scott Morrow in return for Miller. The Rangers will receive the better of Carolina’s two first round picks (either Carolina or Dallas Stars’ pick) in 2026.
Part of the deal involved Carolina signing Miller to an eight-year deal worth $7.5 million per year.
Morrow is 22 years old and is an offensive minded defenseman. He spent the 2024-25 season mostly in the AHL where he put up 39 points in 52 games for the Chicago Wolves but did play 14 games for the Hurricanes where he scored six points and played in five Stanley Cup playoff games.
After being drafted 22nd overall in the 2018 draft, Miller, who is also known as ‘Key’. was a member of the NHL’s All-Rookie team in 2021. He scored a career high 43 points (nine goals and 34 assists) during the 2022-23 NHL season, but his offensive production has diminished since then. Miller scored 30 points in 2023-24 and 27 this past season.
Cuylle Stays on Broadway
There was speculation about Rangers forward and restricted free agent Will Cuylle’s future heading into this offseason. During the 2024-25 season, the Toronto native set career highs in games played, goals, assists, points, and hits. Cuylle’s 301 hits last season were the third-most in the NHL last season.
As a result of his progress, the 6-foot-3 Cuylle was on the radar of many a GM heading into this offseason. However, the general manager who ended up signing Cuylle is the one from the team he broke into the NHL with two seasons ago.
New York Rangers GM, Chris Drury and Will Cuylle ended up agreeing to a two-year deal worth $3.9 million per year.
The new salary Cuylle will make starting in 2025-26 is a raise of $2,975,000.
Cuylle earned it with his tough, two-way play which was a breath of fresh air on a Rangers team that lacked physicality.
Cuylle was a middle six winger for the Rangers last season. At times he played on the Rangers’ second line but mostly he was used as a physical presence on the Rangers’ third line. He will continue in that role next season but look to expand upon the 15 minutes he averaged ice time last season.
Rangers Sign Former Devil
Veteran 34-year-old NHL center Justin Dowling who played for the New Jersey Devils last season signed a two-year deal on Tuesday with the Blueshirts worth 1.55 million.
Dowling was not drafted. He began his pro hockey career in the AHL with the Abbotsford Heat in 2010. He played six seasons in the AHL before he was called up to the Dallas Stars in 2016. Since then, the Calgary native has played in 152 NHL games and scored 26 points.
Last season, Dowling set career highs in games played (52), assists (5) and points (7). His contract with the Rangers is a one-way deal the first year, which means his salary is guaranteed to stay the same whether he ends up playing in the NHL or in the minors. It becomes a two-way deal the second year meaning he will earn $775,000 if he plays in the NHL and $445,000 if he goes to the Wolfpack of the AHL.
Rangers Add Former Capital
The Rangers also signed 27-year-old forward Taylor Raddysh to a two-year deal worth $1.5 million per year. The 6-foot-2 forward spent last season in Washington D.C. playing for the Capitals where he had a good impact, scoring 27 points on a team that finished first in the Metropolitan Division.
Raddysh established career highs in games played (80) and assists (20) with the Caps last season. Over the course of his career, the Caledon, Ontario native has skated in 305 NHL games while amassing 43 goals, 57 assists and exactly 100 points. Raddysh showed last year he is an NHL player and he will provide good depth for the Blueshirts in their bottom six forward group.
Rangers Sign Pouliot
Wrapping up the Rangers moves on day 1 of free agency is left handed defenseman Derrick Pouliot. The Rangers signed the 31-year-old veteran to a two-year deal.
Pouliot is an AHL player these days who last played in the NHL for the Dallas Stars in 2023-24. He spent 2024-25 with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL where he scored 53 points in 70 games.
Over the course of his career in the AHL Pouliot has scored 266 points in 410 games. In the NHL, he has scored 54 points in 226 career games and has a minus-31 rating to show for it.
The Rangers get some depth in the minors with this move as Pouliot probably slots in behind Jackson Dorrington and Connor Mackey as the third Wolfpack defenseman to be called up next season in the event of an injury.
