The Sabres, who have not qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2011, finished the season on a 16-9-3 run and throughout the season saw notable growth from young, core players like defensemen Owen Power and Rasmus Dahlin, as well as key veterans. It's factored into a renewed hope among the fan base.
"I've paid attention a little bit, and I think they're making good progress, they're making the right decisions," said Miller, who was announced as part of the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2022 on Wednesday. "They've stayed patient. I think that's the key: stay patient, let the players develop the right way. That's what helped so many teams you see performing at a high level. They have guys and obviously they're blessed with great talent, but it takes a little bit of time also."
Miller went through it. Selected by Buffalo in the fifth round (No. 138) of the 1999 NHL Draft, he played three seasons at Michigan State University and then most of three seasons with Rochester of the American Hockey League before becoming a full-time NHL player in 2005-06.
He played 11 seasons with the Sabres before he was traded to the St. Louis Blues on Feb. 28, 2014.
Miller helped the Sabres to back-to-back appearances in the Eastern Conference Final in 2006 and 2007, won the Vezina Trophy in 2010, and his 284 wins are the most in Buffalo history.
"I think the Sabres are trying to do things the right way, watching from afar," Miller said. "They've got prospects, they've got good veterans that they look like they want to hold onto. So yeah, you've just got to get that feeling. Any team can go out and win right now. I think if you have the talent to make it happen, you've just got to have that mojo and vibe. Hopefully they're getting back to that, because certainly that's what defined our teams. We had a group of veterans and a group of young guys. We had a good mix. There was a belief more than anything."
In addition to the Blues, Miller also played for the Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks. He retired after the 2020-21 season with 391 wins, most all-time among United States-born goalies.
Miller now focuses on being a full-time dad to 7-year-old son Bodhi and 9-week-old daughter Kaia with his wife, actress Noureen DeWulf. But he hasn't let go of the game completely.
He was slated to serve as goaltending coach for the United States at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, but when schedule disruptions due to COVID-19 resulted in the NHL having to withdraw its participation, USA Hockey made changes to the coaching staff.
Miller also has been working in the NHL Hockey Operations Department, "just helping out with on-ice rules and game play stuff," he said. He'll probably be at the
2022 NHL Draft
in Montreal, which will be held July 7-8, go to the general managers meeting, and potentially work with USA Hockey down the road.
A trip to the GM meetings would reunite him with former Sabres teammate Chris Drury, now the GM of the New York Rangers, who are in the Eastern Conference Final.
Miller said it's not surprising that Drury has been successful in his first season as a GM.
"He knows what it takes to win," Miller said. "He's very competitive. It seemed like he was destined for that kind of job for sure. It's also good to see Danny Briere in a similar capacity [special assistant to the GM of the Philadelphia Flyers]. I look forward to seeing what he can do as he kind of climbs up and contributes. Yeah, 'Dru,' it's not a surprise. I'm really happy for him."
The chance to be back in Buffalo is a special one for Miller, who lives in Southern California. He's looking forward to showing Bodhi the city where his NHL career began and what it meant to him, with a visit to KeyBank Center as well as going by his former house among several stops on the agenda as they spend a few days in town.
"I always feel like this is where I kind of grew up," Miller said. "I went to college in my hometown (East Lansing, Michigan), and then this was my chance to kind of step out on my own and also this was my first professional step. So a lot of firsts for me here and there's a great part of my career and a lot of great memories."
