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Vancouver Canucks sign Ryan Miller - ESPN
The Vancouver Canucks have signed goalie Ryan Miller to a three-year contract, the team announced Tuesday.
The deal is worth $6 million per season, a league source confirmed to ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun.
Miller steps into the goalie opening in Vancouver created by Roberto Luongo's deal to the Florida Panthers at the trade deadline last season. It also reunites him with new Canucks general manager Jim Benning, who was part of the group that originally drafted him in Buffalo.
"I felt it was important to get a goalie with experience," Benning said. "Over the years he's played a lot of games. He gives us that experience that we need."
Benning is familiar with the 33-year-old Miller, having worked in Buffalo's scouting department when the Sabres drafted the player in 1999.
"He's intense and focused," Benning said. "Our younger players are going to see the way he works in practice, how hard be practices. It's going to make them better players.
"He's intense and focused. Our younger players are going to see the way he works in practice, how hard be practices. It's going to make them better players."
The two-time U.S. Olympian played parts of 11 seasons with the Sabres, where he won 284 games with a goals-against average of 2.60 and a save percentage of .916. He was acquired at the trade deadline by the St. Louis Blues, where he struggled down the stretch with a 10-8-1 record and a .903 save percentage. In six playoff games with the Blues, Miller finished 2-4 with a .897 save percentage.
His body of work includes seven seasons with at least 30 wins and a career save percentage of .915 in 559 games with the Sabres and Blues. In 53 career playoff games, he's 27-26 with a 2.49 GAA and a .915 save percentage.
Despite his experience, Miller said he always sees himself as a work in progress.
"I think I'm still developing into the best player I can be," he said. "I take that part of hockey seriously, finding new things to add my game and taking consideration and coaching from other people."
Miller's best performance came on the Olympic stage, where he nearly led Team USA to a gold medal in the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. He won the silver medal and was named the tournament's most valuable player after finishing with a 5-1 record, a 1.35 GAA and a .946 save percentage.
Miller said he has a fondness for Vancouver, especially after playing for the U.S. during the 2010 Winter Games. Sidney Crosby scored on Miller in overtime to lead Canada to victory in the Olympic gold medal game at Rogers Arena.
"I've had a chance to experience Vancouver over the years and have always been blown away by the amount of support the fans the fans bring out and how great the crowds have been, also how kind the people have treated me over the years, especially during the Olympics.
"It's a great city for hockey, a great city to live in."
The deal is worth $6 million per season, a league source confirmed to ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun.
Miller steps into the goalie opening in Vancouver created by Roberto Luongo's deal to the Florida Panthers at the trade deadline last season. It also reunites him with new Canucks general manager Jim Benning, who was part of the group that originally drafted him in Buffalo.
"I felt it was important to get a goalie with experience," Benning said. "Over the years he's played a lot of games. He gives us that experience that we need."
Benning is familiar with the 33-year-old Miller, having worked in Buffalo's scouting department when the Sabres drafted the player in 1999.
"He's intense and focused," Benning said. "Our younger players are going to see the way he works in practice, how hard be practices. It's going to make them better players.
"He's intense and focused. Our younger players are going to see the way he works in practice, how hard be practices. It's going to make them better players."
The two-time U.S. Olympian played parts of 11 seasons with the Sabres, where he won 284 games with a goals-against average of 2.60 and a save percentage of .916. He was acquired at the trade deadline by the St. Louis Blues, where he struggled down the stretch with a 10-8-1 record and a .903 save percentage. In six playoff games with the Blues, Miller finished 2-4 with a .897 save percentage.
His body of work includes seven seasons with at least 30 wins and a career save percentage of .915 in 559 games with the Sabres and Blues. In 53 career playoff games, he's 27-26 with a 2.49 GAA and a .915 save percentage.
Despite his experience, Miller said he always sees himself as a work in progress.
"I think I'm still developing into the best player I can be," he said. "I take that part of hockey seriously, finding new things to add my game and taking consideration and coaching from other people."
Miller's best performance came on the Olympic stage, where he nearly led Team USA to a gold medal in the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. He won the silver medal and was named the tournament's most valuable player after finishing with a 5-1 record, a 1.35 GAA and a .946 save percentage.
Miller said he has a fondness for Vancouver, especially after playing for the U.S. during the 2010 Winter Games. Sidney Crosby scored on Miller in overtime to lead Canada to victory in the Olympic gold medal game at Rogers Arena.
"I've had a chance to experience Vancouver over the years and have always been blown away by the amount of support the fans the fans bring out and how great the crowds have been, also how kind the people have treated me over the years, especially during the Olympics.
"It's a great city for hockey, a great city to live in."