The Vancouver Canucks landed in Buffalo just after supper time on Thursday night.
In the press box between the first and second periods, I spoke with Canucks GM Jim Benning and welcomed him "home". Benning smiled and thanked me. "It's good to be back in Buffalo", he told me.
Benning became a scout for the Sabres in 1994-95. He was promoted to director of amateur scouting in 1998 and served in that role until 2004.
Benning's thumb prints are smudged all over the winning rosters that were constructed in Buffalo in the early 2000s. Benning and his scouts drafted an impressive core of players including Brian Campbell, DFerek Roy, Jason Pominville, Thomas Vanek, Hank Tallinder, Dan Paille, Clarke MacArthur, and Paul Gaustad among others.
Benning is also responsible for drafting a future Vezina Trophy winner.
It was Benning who traveled frequently between Buffalo and East Lansing, Michigan to scout a Michigan State Spartans goaltending hero names Ryan Miller. Benning's filled scouting reports on Miller to Sabres GM Darcy Regier that were "A+" grades. Benning made a strong case for why the Sabres should draft Miller to take over Dominik Hasek's hallowed Hall Of Fame crease. Benning convinced Regier that the Sabres should select Miller to guide the Sabres into the new millenium and beyond.
Were it not for Benning, there would be no Ryan Miller chapter in the 45 year old Buffalo Sabres history book.
Benning got his man when the Sabres selected the former Hobey Baker Award winning Miller in the 5th round (138th overall) of the 1999 NHL Draft.
Miller would go on to lead his Sabres to two consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances.
In the summer of 2006, Benning left Buffalo to accept the assistant general manager job in Boston. In 2011, the Bruins won the Stanley Cup.
Benning and Miller would be reunited in Vancouver in 2014.
Little did Benning know in 1999 that Miller is the great humanitarian and charitable man off the ice that he is.
Miller laid down some deep roots in his eleven years on the job in Buffalo.
Miller's philanthropy and charity work should be lauded. He gives of himself to improve the lives of others around him. A more selfless professional athlete you will never meet. Miller isn't a photo op charity guy who does it to get his name in the newspaper . That's not Miller's style. He invests his time and money into causes and charities that allow him to have immediate, direct impact on the lives of ailing children.
You can't fake Miller's sincerity and empathy. It's real. It's genuine. It comes from a place of love and respect.
In 2006, Miller and his family founded the Steadfast Foundation which dedicated to assisting young people in their battle against cancer, and young people with mobility challenges expand their horizons. Since 2006, Steadfast has broadened its scope and initiatives in an effort to aid people who are mobile challenged and rely on wheelchairs.
Miller has always been the anti-rock star away from the rink where he prefers to stay in the shadows rather than have the bright spotlights shone upon him. Miller would rather his teammates have the spotlight while he prefers to be the quiet, unassuming guy.
On Friday, Miller quietly left the Canucks team hotel. He retraced his foot steps uptown back to where he had traveled so many times before. In his eleven years in Buffalo, Miller became a frequent visitor to to Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
In 2010 Miller was recognized as the NHL Foundation Player of the Year for his work with The Steadfast Foundation. Each season, the NHL rewards and recognizes the players "who applies the core values of (ice) hockey-commitment, perseverance and teamwork-to enrich the lives of people in his community".
Here is the video of the announcement and presentation by Gary Bettman, Commissioner of the NHL.
On Friday, before he could tour the recently revitalized Buffalo waterfront and the glistening new HARBORCenter hockey/retail/restaurant hub, Miller made a surprise visit to Roswell Park to say hello and reconnect with his old acquaintances.
Once a Buffalonian, always a Buffalonian.
Our friend @RyanMiller3039 is in town & took time to visit #RPCI today. pic.twitter.com/cZj3HirHTK
— Roswell Park (@RoswellPark) November 6, 2015
One visit was with nine-year-old Luke, known as the "Band-Aid King", who is being treated for leukemia. Miller remembered Luke from their past interactions. Miller has only been gone from Buffalo for a year and a half, although it feels like much longer than that. Miller may be gone physically from Buffalo but his giving spirit and charitable, benevolent heart are still here. According the Canucks website, Luke immediately pulled up a photo of the last time the two met, with Miller wearing a red Santa Clause hat to celebrate the holidays.
Ryan Miller's heart has always been in the right place.
I will always respect him for his unwavering commitment to putting smiles on the faces of those who are suffering from illness.
Miller is a better man away from the rink than he is one on the rink. And, he's a damn great player on the ice.
Thanks, Ryan Miller.
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Miller is blown away by the progress than has been made in the development of downtown Buffalo since he left town in February 2014.
“It’s fun to see how things have changed. Maybe staying away is little bit of a shock to the system to come down here and see so much has changed. I’m really excited for the city in that regard. There’s some really nice things happening. People seem to be responding really well to that. I’m hearing lots of good things. It’s nice to come back here and know everything’s going well.…
Thanks, Canucks TV
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Miller is appreciative of the Buffalove that has been bestowed upon he and his family over the past 16 years since he was drafted by the Sabres.
“It was nice. I spent a long time here and tried to connect as best as I could with the community. I felt like I was a part of it. That’s a great thing about Buffalo. A lot of guys have been asking me about what Buffalo’s all about. The simplest answer is you get to know the city, you get to know the people. That’s really where it’s at. That’s what always made it a great place is once you kind of show people who you are and they accept you, I think you’re always kind of a part of that.…
I always say that Buffalo is the "Hotel California":
You can check out anytime you like but you can never leave.
Miller may live in Vancouver and Los Angeles now, but, a big piece of his heart will always live in Buffalo.
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Finally. Ryan Miller is coming home to Buffalo.
Now 35 and the starting keeper for the Vancouver Canucks, Miller is a year and a half removed from his dominating days in the Queen City. Miller is coming home if only for a couple of days.
The Canucks arrived in Buffalo on Thursday night ahead of their Saturday 1pm matinee against the rebuilt Sabres.
Miller may not notice a lot of the young faces who now Don the Blue & Gold, however, he still has strong relationships with the front office, trainers, medical staff and support staff of the Sabres.
Miller missed the Canucks game in Buffalo last February due to a sprained knee he suffered two days before his long anticipated Buffalo reunion.
Miller told the Vancouver Sun that he and his family are looking forward to his long anticipated return the city where he earned the respect as one of the best goalies in the NHL.
“To be there so long, then go cold turkey, it is a little bit strange,… Miller said. “My parents are coming because going to Buffalo was a big part of their lives as well. And we’re going to be there a little early so there’s a chance to say hi. They have friends in Buffalo.…
The experience will very likely be an emotional one for Miller. The last time he was inside the Buffalo arena was on February 28, 2014 when he and Steve Ott were traded to the St. Louis Blues approximately one hour before puck drop of a Sabres home game against San Jose.
In exchange for Miller and Ott, then Buffalo captain, the Sabres acquired goalie Jaroslav Halak, power forward Chris Stewart, prospect William Carrier, a 2015 first-round pick and a conditional 2016 third-round pick.
Miller had become expendable in Buffalo because he was in the final year of his contract and the Sabres were concerned he would have little interest in re-signing with their team that months before had begun it's rebuilding process by trading mainstays and fan favorites Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville.
I thought I was pretty ready (to leave Buffalo) but it was a little harder than I thought it would be,… Miller said. “People talk about ‘you’re paid to do a job and you’re a professional, so just go do your job.’ For me and a core group of guys in Buffalo, it was about something we were building, and we really bought into the idea that we were entrusted with something and were trying to bring it to a certain place. It was hard to let that go.
“Having to shift gears and show up as somebody else’s property in St. Louis was a little strange. Like I said, you’re a professional and paid to do a job. But you play so many years in a certain place, having to make that shift is tough.
“The nice thing about coming to Vancouver is I feel like I’m kind of in that same space I was in Buffalo. We’re building something here, an identity. There’s an idea that we have to learn to play a certain way to be successful, and there’s great satisfaction when you start seeing results from that. There will be ups and downs. But having gone through this in Buffalo, there could be a tremendous upside when you get the confidence to go along with the buy-in.…
Miller started 403 games in Buffalo in eleven seasons of service. He won 24 regular season games with a .916 save percentage and 2.60 GAA. Miller earned 28 shutouts as Buffalo's starting goalie.
Miller is 5-3-4 this season with a .923 save percentage and 2.14 GAA.
Miller will be given a generous round of appreciation by the diehard Sabres faithful when he is introduced on Saturday afternoon.
I will share my thoughts on my time covering Miller later today.
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I love that Miller discovered the beauty, culture and elegance that living in Buffalo has to offer.
“I lived in Elmwood Village in the north part of the city,… Miller said. “It’s a really small pocket, but the Museum of Modern Art is up the road, there are big boulevards and mansions built from stone in the late 1800s when Buffalo was a huge shipping hub. There’s culture there, there’s architecture. But what it really comes down to is the people. You really have to live there. If you just drive into town, you’re not going to see what Buffalo offers. You have to get out and experience it and feel it. I enjoyed my time immensely.…
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