Peter Laviolette got a look at the defensive pairs that have worked for the Rangers in years past, but now the new head coach is ready to see something different.
Adam Fox and K’Andre Miller skated alongside one another in the Rangers’ 3-2 loss to the Devils in Thursday night’s exhibition game at Madison Square Garden, after both blueliners played with their usual D partners in the preseason home opener on Tuesday.
“I know that they’re two really good players,” Laviolette said before the game. “When you’re behind the bench and you actually coach a player, you see it a little bit differently. You can see the talent of both of those players. What they’re able to bring to the table together, I’m hoping they can be a good pair. They both seem to defend well, but their offensive upside is really high.
“That’ll be a good pairing just to watch and see them play, and make evaluations after that.”
The Rangers’ top four has been the one of the few constants for the team through the last two coaches.
While the forward lines have gone in a blender month-to-month, or week-to-week last season, the pairings of Fox and Ryan Lindgren and Miller and Jacob Trouba largely went untouched.
Laviolette admitted he was inclined to try something new with the defense at the start of training camp, but he also acknowledged that the club has had success with the way the pairings have been.
“That’s obviously, at the end of the day, up to them,” Miller told The Post. “They want to try things, cool. I think, for us four, I don’t really think much changes. I think we’re going about our preseason the same and trying to get ready and prepared for the upcoming season. I don’t think we’re really looking too deep into who we’re going to be playing with.
“We’ve played with each other, everybody’s kind of played with everybody at some point. I think just kind of leaving that up to them and us doing what we can to bring our level and our compete to the rink.”
Since their first season together in 2020-21, Fox and Miller have logged 274:03 of five-on-five ice time together, according to Natural Stat Trick. They’ve been on the ice for 12 Rangers goals and 12 goals against over that span, while out-attempting opponents 155-119.
Spreading the wealth throughout the pairs has always been the Rangers’ course of action, and it’s worked. Why fix what isn’t broken? The Rangers haven’t had much continuity in the lineup in recent years, so it begs the question whether it’s smart to do it now.
In theory, however, front-loading the top defensive pair could make for something special.
“Obviously, Foxy is a really special player,” Miller said. “Just going to let him do him and I’m going to do me. I think he complements a lot of things that other guys can do out there. I think just being a good support system for him and being a good outlet for him.”
Mika Zibanejad made his preseason debut against the Devils after missing the previous two games with a minor upper-body injury.
The Rangers No. 1 center slotted between Chris Kreider and Alexis Lafreniere on the top line.
Artemi Panarin, who sustained a lower-body injury and missed practice on Tuesday, returned to the ice as a full participant on Thursday.
He skated with the non-game group in Tarrytown.
Filip Chytil did not practice and is still considered “day-to-day.”
“He’s day-to-day, probably for a few days,” Laviolette said. “Nothing that’s of real big concern, I think just erring on the side of caution.”
Goalie Igor Shesterkin saved 20 of the 21 shots he faced through the first two periods Thursday night, while Louis Domingue stopped four of five in the third period.
