Carolina Hurricanes win leads to special moment for K’Andre Miller and baby son
In the years to come, there will be many enduring moments to recall from the Carolina Hurricanes’ Game 5 win over the Montreal Canadiens that sent the Canes into the Stanley Cup Final.
The huge smile on Rod Brind’Amour’s face.
Frederik Andersen’s tears.
The Canes superstitiously keeping their distance from the Prince of Wales Trophy after clinching the Eastern Conference championship.
But perhaps the most poignant will be a new father holding his baby son.
With the Canes headed to the Stanley Cup Final to face the Vegas Golden Knights, defenseman K’Andre Miller sat alone on the Canes bench cradling his newborn son, Kashton. Miller looked out on the ice, then down at his son, bowing his head, a tear or two in his eyes, thankful.
It was intended to be a private moment, but was caught by a TNT camera. A short clip went viral. It’s something K’Andre can show Kashton one day when he explains what happened that May night in 2026 during a special hockey season.
K’Andre might tell him about Wayne Gretzky, one of hockey’s legendary stars, being at the game and how Gretzky, known as The Great One, had said that he had not seen a defenseman play any better in the playoffs than Miller.
“He’s like a brick wall,” Gretzky said on TNT.
Father will tell son about coming to the Hurricanes last year from the New York Rangers, signing a long-term deal, ready to play for a new coach, Brind’Amour, in a new system that would better fit his defensive ability, speed, size, reach and skills.
He can talk at length about the season but especially about the 2026 playoffs, when the Carolina defense was at its suffocating best, clamping down on the Canadiens in the conference final to the point of leaving them bewildered and beaten.
“That’s something we’ve talked about from day one of training camp, bringing that intensity and dictating the pace of play,” Miller said. “That’s the goal every night, to tire and wear out the opposition. That’s the Carolina Hurricanes to a ‘T.’ That’s what we’re known for.”
In the series-clinching game, Miller and his teammates were playing a little harder for Andersen, who was going through personal pain after the death of his agent and close friend, Claude Lemieux. It was a sudden, tragic thing and the Canes wanted to support their goalie as best they could and did it with a less-than-stressful 6-1 victory.
After the game, in the Canes’ locker room, Miller sat at his stall for a few seconds. Asked to show off some new clothing additions — a conference championship cap and T-shirt — he sat back and smiled and gave a thumbs-up.
Canes center Sebastian Aho, a part of the team’s leadership group, was asked in Montreal what Miller, 26, has brought to the group this season.
“A lot,” Aho said. “Obviously, a great defenseman. He kind of does it all. He skates really well. He has a really long reach and he breaks up plays a lot. He has really good offensive instincts as well.”
In the Canes’ 4-0 win in Game 4 at the Bell Centre, Miller quickly carried the puck into the offensive zone. Flashing past the Montreal net, the 6-foot-5 D-man put a perfectly placed pass on the stick blade of Jordan Staal in front of the crease. Staal scored, letting out his King Kong roar, after the Canes added to their lead during a three-goal burst.
In terms of analytics, the 6-foot-5 Miller has led the Canes in 5-on-5 ice time in the playoffs with 256 minutes. Miller, paired with Sean Walker, has been on the ice for 15 Carolina goals while allowing three, and the Canes have had 133 scoring chances at 5-on-5 while allowing 72.
Miller has been mentioned in some of the conversations about the Conn Smythe Trophy given the playoffs MVP. It’s not a stretch as the Canes prepare for the Stanley Cup Final that begins Tuesday at Lenovo Center..
Before Game 5 against Montreal, after the Canes’ morning skate, Gretzky’s glowing comments were mentioned to Miller.
“That’s pretty cool,” Miller said. “I’m not trying to think about that too much, just trying to play my game.”
Miller said assistant coach Tim Gleason, who works with the Canes defensemen, has been a big aid in learning the system and its myriad responsibilities. Gleason played the position for 11 NHL seasons, eight with the Canes, and can speak from experience. Miller listens.
“Any time you can learn from a guy who has been through it, that’s a huge advantage,” Miller said. “I just try to take it all in.”
And that’s what the Minnesota native, a first-round draft pick by the Rangers in 2018, has tried to do this season. The team, the city, a new culture, playing at Lenovo Center, Canes fans … there has been a lot to take in.
That includes becoming a father. Kashton was born May 2 to Miller and his girlfriend, Addison Clark. Together, father and son already have a keepsake memory.
This story was originally published May 31, 2026 at 5:35 AM with the headline "Carolina Hurricanes win leads to special moment for K’Andre Miller and baby son."
