Just how good has Ryan Miller been?
- Thread starter EichHart
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haseoke39
Registered User
- Mar 29, 2011
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Yeah, I think Miller's maybe the most motivated this year of any in his career, for two reasons: (1) Olympics, and (2) if he's ever, ever, ever going to win a cup, he has to attract the attention of a contender by the trade deadline or offseason. It would be very easy for him to fade into obscurity playing on also-rans, and this is his last chance to make sure it doesn't happen.
Seriously, he's been amazing. I think it's been his best "positionally" year. He seems to be in the right place all the time, and he's seeing pucks through traffic really well. There are times when I can't see the puck and it ends up in his glove.
He's been stellar all year. Wish him the best.
He's been stellar all year. Wish him the best.
He's been sensational. I have gone back and forth with what I'd like to see done with him, but I really think I'd like to see him re-signed. I know it's probably a long-shot and all, but I love what I've seen from him. I know it's just not common anymore, but it would be cool to have him be a lifetime Sabre.
I have never been a fan of Miller's provocative tirades but you underestimate this guy if you think it is Olympics or $ that motivates him. Those things help but he HATES to lose. He has a constant fire in him that I would love to see in some of our more talented forwards....
Sabre Dance
Make Hockey Fun Again
- Jul 27, 2006
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Save % is high, but the entire league save % is high. He is still right where he normally is in save % ranking.
So hopefully there is a GM out there that doesnt look at league trends.
SatanwasaSlovak
Registered User
He has been good, really good, but with that defense not even Hasek would have the team winning.
BloFan4Life
Registered User
I think people under-estimate our defense. We may not be able to score worth a damn, but let's not bring down the whole team because of that. The defense is actually pretty decent, even more so since Nolan took over. Miller has been more focused this year, but don't let that start to think he is some great goaltender again. This is just a trend he takes. Gets up for Olympic and contract years, struggles the other years.
joshjull
Registered User
The defense was bad and our overall team defense was putrid prior to Nolan taking over. So no, the defense does not get credit for Miller playing as well as he has since the start of the season.
The stat that stands out the most for Miller is he is 3rd in total shots faced but only 13th in minutes played. For most of Rolston's tenure, Miller and Enroth were getting shelled nightly. And not just in quantity of shots but in quality of scoring chances surrendered.
Goalies near Miller in minutes played listed by their ranking.
10. S. Mason (PHI) --> 1,608mins -- 823 shots / .923 save %
11. Varlamov (COL) -> 1,598mins -- 848 shots / .924
12. Harding (MIN) ----> 1,549mins -- 636 shots / .939
13. Miller (BUF) -------> 1,545mins -- 931 shots / .924
14. Lundquist (NYR) --> 1,540mins -- 751 shots / .905
15. Crawford (CHI) ---> 1,504mins -- 667 shots / .907
16. Halak (STL) -------> 1,501mins -- 640 shots / .909
17. Hiller (ANA) -------> 1,493mins -- 691 shots / .913
None of the goalies playing similar minutes to Miller have faced as many shots as he has. Only one has a better save %, Harding who has faced almost 300 fewer shots.
Of the top 30 goalies in minutes played Miller ranks 9th in save %.
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Zman5778
Moderator
I think that's the general over-arching point with the Rolston tenure. While individually, no defenseman might have been stink-out-loud bad, the TEAM defense was beyond reprehensible.
Under Nolan, the TEAM defense is getting better, though largely individually the defenseman aren't playing much better or worse.
I disagree. Miller has been great. The other comment is bang on. His positioning is just awesome, something you get with a veteran. He's dropped a smidge on pure skill, but overall this might just be his best year. What a waste.
But sorry, Hasek is Hasek. Anybody doubting how much better he was than any goalie currently in the league has a short memory or never saw him play. His reflexes were just plain scary, his quickness just shocking. Positionally everyone thought Hasek was out of it but there was reason to his madness. He covered the lower half of the net and said beat me up high if you can.
We'd be in a ton of 1-1 games with Hasek this year. And what do you think would happen in shootout? Hasek on breakaway? I never ever saw him blink first.
The guy was amazing. If he played in Toronto or another major market, he'd be regarded so much higher,
No slight on Ryan, resign him. But Hasek, that's a gift that comes once in a lifetime. I marvel at the crap we made him play with,
Timbo Slice
Roaring back
I'd love to keep him, but I doubt money alone will be able to do that. Nolan will have to sell him hard on the idea of turning it around in the next few years to give Miller the chance to win a Cup here. If Miller doesn't buy it then he's gone, imo. He wants to win, and you have to respect him for that.
This is definitely the second best year he's had while in Buffalo. Shame it's wasted on such a bad team, but it's impressive he keeps it up night after night on a team obviously going nowhere. If he doesn't start on Team USA then It will be a crime.
This is definitely the second best year he's had while in Buffalo. Shame it's wasted on such a bad team, but it's impressive he keeps it up night after night on a team obviously going nowhere. If he doesn't start on Team USA then It will be a crime.
It's probably easier to relax and play your best when there's no pressure to win. Just a thought.
Wisent42
Registered User
He's been really, really good, no argument there. Now, save percentage doesn't tell the full story as it doesn't take into account where the shots are taken from. A good defence can force teams to take shots from bad places, earning good save percentage for average goalies. But we know that's not the case here, right? 
Why is he this good now? Well, some possible reasons have been given. Here's another: Some goalies seem to grow with the task. I've seen goalies be just amazing on really bad teams where they get outshot badly every night, just to be picked up by good teams and... well, suck. My point is that some goalies just seem to get better the busier they are. If that's the case with Miller, I don't know. But it's a possibility.
Why is he this good now? Well, some possible reasons have been given. Here's another: Some goalies seem to grow with the task. I've seen goalies be just amazing on really bad teams where they get outshot badly every night, just to be picked up by good teams and... well, suck. My point is that some goalies just seem to get better the busier they are. If that's the case with Miller, I don't know. But it's a possibility.
Chad Thundercock
Slayer
Miller ranks a little higher this year, but agreed. I think Miller has been great this year, but even with that, the value just isn't there to give him big bucks, especially with his age and the state of the team. And that's if he continues this form, which I wouldn't bet on after the Olympics.
Push Dr Tracksuit
Gerstmann 3:16
- Jun 9, 2012
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Agreed anyone claiming Hasek couldn't win with this group either hasn't or doesn't remember the things he did. Hasek was one if the five best players in the history of the game, even if he was one of the 20 best of all time he would still have been good enough to elevate this team into winning status. That's what makes legendary players legendary, they have the talent to win with anyone.
misterchainsaw
Preparing PHASE TWO!
Let's stop with the idolification of Hasek here. Certainly he was the best goalie ever to play here, and probably the best of all time. But he got those 1997-2000 to the playoffs in a lower seed year after year, and those teams were SIGNIFICANTLY better offensively than this one.
This team has 60 (non-shootout) goals through 36 games. That pro-rates to 137 goals (rounding up). In 96-97 they scored 237, in 97-98 they scored 211, and in 98-99 they scored 207. The best GA they ever achieved with Hasek was 175. That's still a -38 goal differential. That's not getting you into the playoffs.
Miller has been outstanding. There are a handful of different motivators he could be using but the bottom line is he is still a very talented goalie on a terrible team.
He's always been far above-average positionally, but this year has definitely been incredible. I hope it translates to the Olympics.
There is no exaggeration. There were six years where he was just crazy good. He won the MVP twice because even playing in Buffalo he could not ignored.
The team's entire style was based on pinching and pressing and knowing Hasek could stop two on ones on a regular basis. Look at that 1998-99 team. The top playoff scorers were d man. Their games had least amount of goals in the entire NHL. It was a cruddy roster. Not as bad as this one but it went to the final. So many guys on that roster were nothing in other NHL cities.
This isn't to take away from Ryan -- he's clearly the 2nd best in team history. He beats Edwards now although Barraso is still close. He did make the NHL as 18 year old.
Bottom line, sign Miller. he's great. Hasek comparison is unfair,
misterchainsaw
Preparing PHASE TWO!
That team also had a 40 goal scorer (Satan), a premier two-way center (Peca), an underrated #1 dman (Zhitnik), and a very good PP/offensive #3 (Woolley). They also brought in Juneau and Barnes for the playoff run that year.
This team would not score enough for even Hasek to get them into the playoffs. You'll notice my initial post isn't comparing him to Miller - in fact I called Hasek the best in franchise history and probably the best ever anywhere. But not even he could get a team that scores around 140 goals in an entire regular season into the playoffs.
