Drew Miller will not be offered a contract

[GrGriffins]

Someone explain something to me.

He was waived, so we had no problems losing him.

Unclaimed.

Played in Grand Rapids.

Recalled to Detroit because of injuries.

We've now said our goodbyes.

So someone please explain why we WASTED games on Miller, instead of having a look at Frk, even Svech, or another kid? We were out of the playoff race, it was a complete waste. It's like when we played Andersson in the playoffs and then dumped him a week later. Nonsensical.

The main reason why Miller was called up after the trade deadline because the Griffins had too many veterans in our roster to where guys were rotating sitting out games. At one point, the Griffins had 8 veterans in our roster (including Cleary who did not play a game for us at all) and in the AHL, you can only dress 5 in a game.

Makes sense for the Wings not to resign Miller because he is a PK specialist. Miller knows his time is up here in Detroit. Even if the Wings wanted to resign him, Miller would choose to look elsewhere because at some point he would be put on waivers again and clear and be back in GR. He has very little scoring output and you have a player in GR in Tomas Nosek, who has improved his skating big time, can play PK, can play on the PP, and is a pretty good two way forward, who has improved in the scoring department. He has nothing to prove in GR for next season and he will be no longer waiver exempt.

Svech had his 2 game stint with the Wings, but he will end up in GR for next season, because the Wings have too many forwards locked up in long-term deals to where you can not move these players, especially when they are not producing like they should. The Wing want him to develop here in GR and since the Griffins are in the playoffs, they want to see what he can do in a playoff run and evaluate him when the stakes are much higher in playoff time.

With Frk not being called up to Detroit this season, tells me that he will not be back next season. He was put on waivers at the beginning of the season, Carolina claimed him, played him a couple of games, did not pan out, put him back on waivers and Detroit re-claimed him and placed him here in GR. Sure he led our team with 27 goals & 12 PP goals, but that is all that he does. He is a PP specialist, just like Pulkkinen was here and look where he ended up (all over the place in the NHL & AHL). Frk has been a high "-" player in GR (he in the worst 15 in Griffins history), not a great back checker, not a good skater, and when things do not go his way, he takes unneccesary penalties. He has a cannon of a shot, but misses more than he hits the net. Will see if he will play on Friday for Game 1 of the playoffs since he got hurt in Cleveland over a week ago and did not play the last 3 games of the regular season.

 

[Boomhower]

To be honest I truly appreciate everything Drew Miller has done for this organization. But, he shouldn't have been given a contract last season and I'm glad the org has been open about now resigning him.

All in all a good dude who is a true work ethic NHLer.

Well put man.
Talent aside. if all players in this org had Miller's work ethic and professionalism things would be different.

 

[Filppula]

More Frk hate blah blah.

What's new man. Lay off seriously.

 

[theD86]

He wants to leave & Holland is letting him. Finally a good move.

 

[TCNorthstars]

The main reason why Miller was called up after the trade deadline because the Griffins had too many veterans in our roster to where guys were rotating sitting out games. At one point, the Griffins had 8 veterans in our roster (including Cleary who did not play a game for us at all) and in the AHL, you can only dress 5 in a game.

Makes sense for the Wings not to resign Miller because he is a PK specialist. Miller knows his time is up here in Detroit. Even if the Wings wanted to resign him, Miller would choose to look elsewhere because at some point he would be put on waivers again and clear and be back in GR. He has very little scoring output and you have a player in GR in Tomas Nosek, who has improved his skating big time, can play PK, can play on the PP, and is a pretty good two way forward, who has improved in the scoring department. He has nothing to prove in GR for next season and he will be no longer waiver exempt.

Svech had his 2 game stint with the Wings, but he will end up in GR for next season, because the Wings have too many forwards locked up in long-term deals to where you can not move these players, especially when they are not producing like they should. The Wing want him to develop here in GR and since the Griffins are in the playoffs, they want to see what he can do in a playoff run and evaluate him when the stakes are much higher in playoff time.

With Frk not being called up to Detroit this season, tells me that he will not be back next season. He was put on waivers at the beginning of the season, Carolina claimed him, played him a couple of games, did not pan out, put him back on waivers and Detroit re-claimed him and placed him here in GR. Sure he led our team with 27 goals & 12 PP goals, but that is all that he does. He is a PP specialist, just like Pulkkinen was here and look where he ended up (all over the place in the NHL & AHL). Frk has been a high "-" player in GR (he in the worst 15 in Griffins history), not a great back checker, not a good skater, and when things do not go his way, he takes unneccesary penalties. He has a cannon of a shot, but misses more than he hits the net. Will see if he will play on Friday for Game 1 of the playoffs since he got hurt in Cleveland over a week ago and did not play the last 3 games of the regular season.

What's new man. Lay off seriously.

Please tell us what GrGriffins was wrong about with the assessment of Frk...

 

[njx9]

Drew Miller was never a guy I didn't think was trying his hardest. I just didn't think he was very good and that he was an expendable piece with better options in house for replacement.

Yup. I wouldn't have minded him being back in a purely GR role, but clearly there isn't space there, and he adds nothing to an already bad NHL roster. Hope he finds somewhere else to go, early in FA.

 

[Frk It]

Nosek should take his place. A 4th liner that actually has some puck skills and can play a possession game.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

When they were both on the Wings I thought Miller and Eaves were pretty much interchangeable, so I got that one a bit wrong.

 

[Winger98]

Nosek should take his place. A 4th liner that actually has some puck skills and can play a possession game.

isn't Nosek out of options next year, too?

 

[Winger98]

When they were both on the Wings I thought Miller and Eaves were pretty much interchangeable, so I got that one a bit wrong.

well, to be fair, Eaves was also injured all of the time and Miller was, frankly, playing better than he is now. Eaves always had the ability to put up some points, though.

 

[Beltv]

Maybe Vancouver will sign him.

 

[GrGriffins]

What's new man. Lay off seriously.

Only watched Frk play in Grand Rapids for 3.5 seasons. Just giving my opinion based on nearly 100 games that I have watched him play here in GR and on what he has done here and why he is not in Detroit or in the NHL. Carolina gave Frk a better chance to make it to the NHL then Detroit did and they did not want him.

I want to see every Griffins player make it to Detroit, but that does not end up happening every time. There are some players here in GR that deserve a shot in Detroit for next season, but with Holland's signing long term deals to forwards like Helm, Abdelkader, and others, those players either has to stick it out in the AHL, or go elsewhere to make it.

Why would I hate a player like Frk when he led the Griffins in goals & PP goals and he was a huge part in making our 5 forward PP unit work? Plus the Griffins ended up ranking #1 in the entire AHL in PP % at 24.4% and broke our franchise record in that department. I hope he is able to play Friday night vs Milwaukee in game 1.

 

[ShelbyZ]

isn't Nosek out of options next year, too?

Correct. He is subject to waivers starting next season. I would assume he's already penciled in as a #13/14 forward for next year as his tiny $612.5k cap hit helps soften the blow from the Weiss buyout penalty jumping to over $2.5M+ and gives some room to sign RFA's and let Holland dip in the veteran bargain bin on July 1st...

As for Miller, I don't think he's done in the NHL. He's just done signing NHL contracts with 7 figure salaries. I could see him getting an offer from one of the contending teams that has to utilize a revolving door of <$900k warm bodies on their 4th line in order to afford to keep their core intact. Plus there will be a new team that needs at least 13/14 forwards, and at least 14 existing teams will be a forward in the Expansion Draft.