Today, we conclude the goaltending portion of the off-season targets series by looking at arguably the best and most established option, star goaltender Ryan Miller of the Vancouver Canucks. After being a mainstay in Buffalo for years, Miller had a short stint in St. Louis last year before signing a three year contract in Vancouver last July.
Miller had a stellar season early for Vancouver, but got injured and lost the starting job to Eddie Lack, who started the playoff series against Calgary. After a terrific beginning to their relationship, we now find ourselves here, talking about Miller’s availability.
Why Is He Out There:
As mentioned above, Miller had a great start to his season, but got injured and as a result missed most of the second half, only playing the finale against Edmonton. Eddie Lack had been playing really well, and as a result the Canucks went with Lack in the post-season, benching the veteran.
Lack is a young and cheap option, and has a ton of potential. It was rumored last July when the Canucks signed Miller that Lack would eventually take over, but it wouldn’t be for a few years. Could the future have arrived a little early? It’s not overly likely, but it’s a possibility.
If Vancouver can get something that fills a hole, then I wouldn’t be shocked if they went with a Lack/Markstrom tandem next season.
What Does He Do Well:
Ryan Miller is an exceptional goaltender, no questions asked. Miller has played at elite levels before and has carried teams into the post-season. He’s an established veteran at the NHL level, and is a real workhorse. In my mind, he’s easily one of the top 15 goalies in the NHL.
This past season, Miller posted a .911 SV% in 45 games, which isn’t stellar, but took a hit due to injury later in the season. Last season, Miller struggled with the Blues, posting a .903 mark in 19 games, but he was unreal in Buffalo before the trade, posting a stellar .923 mark in 40 games for the NHL’s worst team.
In 2012-13, Miller played 40 games and had a .915 SV% behind a bottom-ten Buffalo squad, and prior to that he posted seasons of .916 (2011-12), .929 (2010-11) and .918 (2009-10) while playing over 50 games in each season.
Miller is a pretty predictable goaltender, he’ll handle the majority of the starts while posting a SV% above the league average, he’s a very good goalie. He’s done this playing on some bad teams too, which makes these numbers even more impressive.
Miller represents a clear upgrade over guys like Ben Scrivens and Viktor Fasth, and would be Edmonton’s best goalie since Dwayne Roloson left back in July of 2009. Miller would give Edmonton instant credibility in net. This is a very good option.
Where Should He Play / Where Will He Play:
Ryan Miller is a starting goalie in the NHL, that’s where he should be. He should play between 55-60 games per season and lead a club. In Edmonton, he would do just that, he’d be the workhorse, the man. This is a case of a perfect fit between the player and the job description.
What Will He Cost:
The Canucks are in no rush to deal Miller, and likely would want a pretty penny to acquire his services. When Edmonton contacted the Canucks about Corey Schneider, the ask was Martin Marincin, the 7th overall pick and a prospect. If Edmonton were to call on Miller, the price would likely be similar.
I could see a package of Nail Yakupov, Dillon Simpson and a second round pick getting the trade done. That’s a hefty price, no doubt.
Closing Argument:
If Edmonton is going to try and hit a homerun in net this off-season, then Ryan Miller is probably the guy to go after. The Canucks could easily decide to go with Eddie Lack and Jacob Markstrom, and Edmonton has the pieces to make this happen, although I admit it’s a high price and a risky trade option.
That said, Ryan Miller is the best goalie we have looked at in this series. He is a workhorse, a proven NHL starter, and is routinely posting numbers above the league average. He’s a very good goalie that could be a major piece in a breakout season for Edmonton in 2015-16.
The connection is there, as Jim Benning and Peter Chiarelli worked together in Boston. It’s not the most likely option, but it’s certainly an interesting one to ponder.
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