Ryan Miller

Ryan Miller
File:Ryan Miller (ice hockey).jpg
Born	(1980-07-17) July 17, 1980 East Lansing, MI
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	166 lb (75 kg; 11 st 12 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Catches	Left
NHL team	Buffalo Sabres
National team	United States
NHL draft	138th overall, 1999 Buffalo Sabres
Playing career	2002–present

Ryan Miller (born July 17, 1980, in East Lansing, Michigan) is an American ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. He was selected to play for the U.S. hockey team in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, B.C., Canada as starting goaltender. He is known for his hybrid style of goaltending, placing him on par with the likes of Martin Brodeur and Evgeni Nabokov. He is also the older brother of Detroit Red Wings winger Drew Miller.

Early life

Miller grew up in East Lansing, Michigan. His brother Drew Miller is a forward for the Red Wings and three cousins of his have all played in the NHL. Additionally, all four went to Michigan State University.

Playing career

College

Miller was drafted in the 5th Round, 138th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. As a college player for the Michigan State University Spartans, Miller set an NCAA record with 26 career shutouts and was the winner of the Hobey Baker Award in 2001, when he led the country in wins, winning percentage, save percentage (an NCAA record .950 mark), goals-against average and shutouts (an NCAA record 10).

Miller, nicknamed "Unscoreonable" by an MSU teammate, became only the second Spartan in history to win the Hobey Baker Award and only the second goaltender (Robb Stauber won it in 1988). He was the CCHA's Goaltender of the Year all three of his seasons in East Lansing, and was the league's overall MVP twice. Ten members of Miller's family, including his grandfather, father, uncle, five cousins (including Kelly, Kevin and Kip Miller), and his younger brother Drew, have played college hockey for the Spartans. His cousin Kip Miller won the Hobey Baker in 1990. He has often credited his Spartan connections, especially long-time friend and tutor Jason Muzzatti, with getting him where he is today.

Buffalo Sabres

After three seasons with Michigan State, Miller moved to the American Hockey League, where he played for the Sabres affiliate the Rochester Americans in 2002–03. During that season he played 15 regular season games for Buffalo. He has spent most of his career as the starting goalie for the Americans winning 41 games and tying Gerry Cheevers' record.

Miller finished the 2005–06 season by establishing himself as the starting goalie for the Sabres. He ranked 11th among NHL goalies with a 2.60 GAA, and 9th with a save percentage of .914. Miller led the Sabres to a surprise season, winning 30 games and proving himself to be one of the hardest working goalies in the league. Miller played well in the postseason as well, advancing the Sabres to the conference finals before injuries finally caught up with them, losing game 7 to Carolina.

After the 2005–06 season, Miller became a restricted free agent and waived his right to arbitration. Mike Liut, Miller's agent, continued to negotiate with the Sabres through the summer. On September 8, 2006, the Sabres announced that they have re-signed Miller to a three-year contract.

The 2006–07 season would prove a successful one. In his first season starting with the number one job, Miller and his team won the first 10 games in a row. Miller was voted in as the starting goaltender for the Eastern Conference of the 2007 NHL All-Star Game in a 12–9 loss, he played the first period and allowed just 3 goals. Miller also gained a reputation of a shootout specialist with his technique of challenging the shooter outside the crease. That season he was 10–4 in shootouts, with Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils being his closest rival at 10 wins and 6 losses. In 63 games played that season, Miller posted a 0.911 SVP and a 2.72 GAA backing a more offensively oriented team.

In the post-season of that year, Miller would lead his team to defeat the New York Islanders in 5 games, the New York Rangers in 6, and would go on to the conference finals for the second time in 2 years, only to lose to the Ottawa Senators in 5. Miller's game was notably improved in the playoffs however, exiting with a .922 SVP and 2.22 GAA.

On October 11, the Sabres won their first game of the 2007–08 season with a 6–0 win over the Atlanta Thrashers. Miller had the shutout stopping 20 shots in a game following the death of his 18-year-old cousin, Matt, who died the Monday before of a complication with a bone-marrow transplant. At the close of the game, Miller raised his stick to the home crowd in tribute and had received star honors for his effort in net.

Miller's current helmet design has the words "Matt Man" on the back in remembrance.

On January 1, 2008, Miller played with the Sabres in the AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic, which was the first outdoor NHL game to be held in the United States. The game was played at Ralph Wilson Stadium, home to the Buffalo Bills, in Orchard Park, New York. The Sabres lost in a shoot-out to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but Miller only allowed one goal (out of 25 shots) in regulation. Miller previously played outdoors in the Cold War – a game between Michigan and Michigan State held in 2001.

On March 28, 2008, Miller played in his 73rd game of the season, breaking the Sabres franchise record for most games played in a season, passing Grant Fuhr, Dominik Hašek and Martin Biron. In spite of the presence of then backup goaltender Jocelyn Thibault- Miller finished the season with 76 games played, recording a 2.64 GAA and a .906 SVP.

On July 18, 2008, Miller signed a five-year contract extension worth $31.25 million with the Sabres that will keep him in Buffalo through the 2013–14 season. The contract will take effect at the start of the 2009–10 season, as Miller still has a year left on his prior contract. Miller suffered a high-end ankle sprain on February 22 in a game against the New York Rangers, which kept him out of action until late March. Despite Miller's strong 34–18–6 record during the 2008-09 NHL Season, the Sabres narrowly missed out on qualifying for a playoff berth.

Steadfast Foundation

Miller, along with his dad, Dean, started the Steadfast Foundation which supports cancer patients and their families.

Personal

Miller owns a clothing store in East Lansing, Michigan, called The Refinery.

He was featured in an Amp Energy Drink commercial, where he was in a "The dozens shootout" against then Los Angeles Kings goalie Jean-Sébastien Aubin. Miller won with the line "Yo mama's so ugly, she made an onion cry," delivered in Chinese.

Career statistics

Regular season

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	T/OTL	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
1999–00	Michigan State University	CCHA		25	16	5	3	1525	39	8	1.54	.932
2000–01	Michigan State University	CCHA		40	31	5	4	2448	54	10	1.33	0.950
2001–02	Michigan State University	CCHA		40	26	9	5	2412	71	8	1.77	0.936
2002–03	Rochester Americans	AHL		47	23	18	5	2815	10	2	2.34	0.920
2002–03	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		15	6	8	1	912	40	1	2.63	0.902
2003–04	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		3	0	3	0	177	15	0	5.08	0.795
2003–04	Rochester Americans	AHL		60	27	25	7	3579	132	5	2.21	0.925
2004–05	Rochester Americans	AHL		63	41	17	4	370	153	8	2.45	0.922
2005–06	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		48	30	14	3	2862	124	1	2.60	0.914
2005–06	Rochester Americans	AHL		2	1	1	0	120	5	0	2.50	0.889
2006–07	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		63	40	16	6	3692	168	2	2.73	0.911
2007–08	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		76	36	27	10	4474	197	3	2.64	0.906
2008–09	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		59	34	18	6	3443	145	5	2.53	0.918
NHL totals				264	146	86	26	15562	689	12	2.66	0.910

Playoffs

Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV %
2002–03	Rochester Americans	AHL		3	1	2	190	13	0	4.11	.856
2003–04	Rochester Americans	AHL		14	7	7	857	26	2	1.82	.934
2004–05	Rochester Americans	AHL		9	5	4	547	24	0	2.63	.909
2005–06	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		18	11	7	1123	48	1	2.56	.908
2006–07	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		16	9	7	1029	38	0	2.22	.922
NHL career totals				34	20	14	2151	86	1	2.39	.915

Awards and achievements

• Starter for the Eastern Conference in NHL All-Star Game (2007)
• AHL First All-Star Team (2005)
• Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award (Outstanding Goaltender – AHL) (2005)
• CCHA First All-Star Team (2001, 2002)
• NCAA West First All-American Team (2001, 2002)
• CCHA Player of the Year (2001, 2002)
• Hobey Baker Memorial Award (Top U.S. Collegiate Player) (2001)
• CCHA Second All-Star Team (2000)

See also

• Notable families in the NHL

References

Oficial Ryan Miller Website http://www.millertime30.com

External links

• Ryan Miller career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
• Ryan Miller biography at Legends of Hockey (archived)
• Ryan Miller player profile at NHL.com
• Ryan Miller – Sabres.com
• Template:Espn nhl