One could argue that the best defenseman in the Rangers organization won’t be playing in the Garden Thursday when the Blueshirts return from the Christmas break with a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Instead, K’Andre Miller, the 18-year-old University of Wisconsin freshman who was the second of the Rangers’ three first-round picks at this summer’s draft, is at the World Junior Championships this week, playing for Team USA.
Miller is one of four Rangers prospects — three of them defensemen —who are playing for their respective countries at the World Juniors, where GM Jeff Gorton will be watching them closely.