By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
The profession accolades are seemingly limitless for Ryan Miller.
Vezina Trophy winner in 2010. First-team NHL All-Star in 2010. Second winningest American-born goalie in NHL historical past. Olympic silver medalist in 2010. Olympic MVP the identical yr. Hobey Baker Award winner as faculty hockey’s greatest participant in 2001. Buffalo Sabres Corridor of Fame in 2023. Sabres sweater No. 30 retired in 2023.
However 23 years after first strolling into Blue Cross Area on the Warfare Memorial, he hasn’t forgotten his professional roots with the Rochester People.
“For me, it’s the place it began,” Miller stated on Friday night time, when he was inducted into the Amerks Corridor of Fame. “I really feel fortunate my profession began right here.”
Miller arrived for the 2002-2003 season with nice expectations, what with the brilliance he displayed throughout his three seasons at Michigan State College, and he exceeded them throughout his time sporting the crimson, white and blue.
He compiled a 92-61-16 file with a 2.34 goals-against common and .922 save share. His 15 profession shutouts are second-most in franchise historical past.
However Miller stated he cherishes excess of simply the on-ice recollections. Town was his residence away from residence for 3 years, and his first time on his personal away from his hometown of East Lansing, Mich.
“I signed my first contract to be a professional and my first actual expertise with the individuals in Western New York was Rochester and it was an excellent introduction,” Miller stated. “I’m very grateful we had a secure and secure and good setting for all of us to concentrate on hockey and develop as hockey gamers, however there additionally was loads of alternative within the group to develop as an individual.”
He made positive the 8,920 followers in attendance on Friday understood how a lot Rochester means to him.
“Good day once more, Rochester,” Miller stated as he opened his induction speech throughout pre-game, on-ice ceremonies. Then, as he wrapped up his speech, he stated, “I really like you, Rochester. Thanks very a lot.”
When he first arrived, he, like most extremely touted prospects, believed his apprenticeship can be brief. He realized the time spent right here was integral in his growth.
“Trying again, I’m actually glad I had a lab to experiment in, but it surely was a high-pressure lab with excessive expectations and wealthy historical past in Rochester of successful.”
Miller was a part of a gaggle of Sabres prospects that grew collectively as teammates and as buddies after which grew to become the core of Sabres groups that reached the convention finals in 2006 and 2007.
In the course of the NHL lockout of 2004-05, an Amerks crew that included Miller, Thomas Vanek, Jason Pominville, Derek Roy and Paul Gaustad completed with one of the best file within the AHL, setting the stage for his or her commencement to the NHL the next yr. Miller was 41-17-4 that yr with a league-leading eight shutouts.
“All of us understood what we had put earlier than us,” Miller stated. “The Sabres had been going to make use of the lockout interval to get forward of the league. They’d an concept of what can be happening with the principles (the crackdown on obstruction) and I believe they did an excellent job of getting forward of it.
“We hit the bottom working with these new guidelines and the remainder of the league was taking part in catch-up.”
Miller turns into the seventh goalie to enter the Amerks Corridor, becoming a member of former Sabres teammate Marty Biron (Class of 2018).
