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Miller Gives So Much, Gets So Little

November 28, 2013, 9:24 AM ET [8 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Welcome to the season of giving.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.

Sabres fans should be thankful for Ryan Millerv today.

The Sabres entered their game against the Canadiens with an NHL-low 1.6 goals scored per game. Matt Moulson's first goal in the last 11 games was the only measure of help that the Sabres coud muster for their all-world goaltender. Ville Leino hit a post in the first period. Luke Adam whiffed on a wide open net in the early going as well. If the Sabres cash one of these chances, we're talking about a 2-2 tie after regulation.

Ifs and buts. Candy and nuts. If they come true, we all have a Merry Christmas.

Instead, Tyler Myers took questionable boarding penalty late in the third period. Tyler Ennis was called for holding at 2:58 of the third period to put the Hans on the powerplay. Brenden Gallagher scored on the powerplay to drop the Sabres to a 5-20-1 record. The Habs have scored at least one PPG in each of its road games this season. They are the #1 road PP team in the NHL. Stupid is as stupid does.


With 28 saves on 31 shots on goal on Friday night, Ryan Miller now has a .931 save % and a 2.49 GAA in his last 6 games.

One wonders if Ryan Miller has had enough of the losing and the drama.

I asked Steve Ott about Ryan Miller's superior leadership and inspirational play.

"Ryan's been our best player all season long. He's kept us in so many games. He's been peppered all season long with a lot of shots and a lot of work. He's so professional. He gives us a chance to win every night. He's professional. He comes to work every day and he gives us a chance to win every night, and that all you ask of a goaltender, much less a world-class goalie.



Pelted.


Bang on.

Miller is eating more rubber than the inbound and outbound " 33". Combined!

Miller has already faced a dizzying 708 shots against in his 19 starts. Thats an average of 37.2 shots against.

He's allowed just 58 saves. He's made 650 saves already this season.

Miller has played 1,118:49 minutes all told.

His season stats are impeccable: 3.11 GAA and .913 save percentage.

The guy shows up and does his job very single day. He's the team MVP during these dark days.

Personally, I'm amazed that he hasn't flipped his lid yet this season what with all of the mistakes and broken plays that have occurred in front of him on a nightly basis.



Thanks, sabres.com


Miller has deserved a better fate on most nights this season. He continues to give so much yet he gets so little in return.



Something's got to give, right? The Sabres have fallen and they can't get up.


Miller deserves better than what he's getting in the Buffalo experience. He's held up his end of the bargain. He's been an inspirational leader of men and a role model for the newbies, the rookies and the young veterans. He's doing all that he can do to prepare and to put his team in a position to win every time he jumps into his cage.

I feel like the Sabres should trade Ryan Miller now. They should sell him to the highest bidder. Miller's trade value will never ne higher than it is today.Trade him away to a contender. Let him experience the joys of winning again. Teams are calling and inquiring about Miller. Be it LA, Nashville, St. Louis, Colorado, Anaheim, or the NY Islanders. Can Scrivens hold the fort for teh Kings for another month (or longer) until Quick is able to resume playing again? Will this upcoming week's MRI of Pekka Rinne's provide good or bad news? Halak may not be the man to lead the Blues to the Cup finals. The Avs starter Semyon Varlamov has a court date on 12/2. Hiller is struggling for the Ducks. Nabakov and Pouin are not getting the job done on Long Island.


There is high demand among contending teams in the market for a championship caliber starting goalie. However, there is a low supply of quality net minders.


With the way Miller is playing right now, Pat LaFontaine could easily get his mitts on a top six scoring forward and a first round draft choice in exchange for the soon-to--be starter of Team USA at the Sochi Winter Olympic Games.

We learned Friday night that Rick Dudley is no longer a candidate for the Buffalo GM job.
Its time for LaFontaine to fly to Boston, look Jim Benning in the eye, and tell him "Congratulations. You are the new GM of the Buffalo Sabres". Benning's first order of business as GM of the Buffalo Sabres will be an ironic, yet necessary one. Benning will have to trade away the very same all-world goalie that he was instrumental in drafting from Michigan State University to Buffalo with the 138th overall pick (5th round) in the 1999 NHL entry draft.


Sabres fans should be thankful for the 11 seasons of memories that Ryan Miller has provided for them.


Its U.S. Thanksgiving. NHL GMs have done their diligence. They now know the true character of their respective clubs. The "haves" and "have nots" have been established. The pretenders have separated themselves from the contenders.


The Sabres should thank Miller for his decade plus of excellence and send him to a Stanley Cup contender.







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