Confirmed with Link: Ryan Miller to retire after this season

[The Blunder Years]

Does Miller go up in the rafters?

He’s right on the bubble where it’s completely justified to do It but not a slam dunk. He didn’t win a championship but he pretty much carried the teams on his back after co-captains left for another 5-6 years.

 

[Ace]

but how many Ryan Miller shutouts does he have?

 

[Sabre the Win]

The last in a very long line of Goalies who spoiled the fans of Buffalo into thinking this was commonplace.

This truth hits so hard, I was one of those people who would walk around and be like "Buffalo always has good goaltending".

 

[Ace]

I mean…Lehrer was good and Ullmark was too.

What you’re thinking of is a team that got caved in in front of their goaltender for years and years. Pretty much from the tank that started with moving Miller out until they fired Ralph. You don’t think it’s weird that the “bad goaltending” coincided with the worst team play in franchise history?

No goalie would have been great here.

and many goalies can be good if you’re great in front of them.

which was always the point

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

This truth hits so hard, I was one of those people who would walk around and be like "Buffalo always has good goaltending".

It felt to me like they could shove anyone back there and they'd do well. Oh, how horribly wrong I was.

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Chainshot]

A little Millz has arrived!

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Sabres Fan UK]

Love the guy, the last great goalie we had (hopefully not the last!). Was sad when we met Lucic take a run at him.

 

[Dulind]

The best also-ran we ever had in net. As others have said, give him a 1 day contract and retire as a Sabre on the first home game next season.

Always felt confident when he was scheduled to play - just like Hasek. We always had a better chance to win with Millsy in net.

 

[haseoke39]

Game 2 v Ottawa, round 2 of 2006 playoffs.

Sabres had broken through in the regular season, but beating a top team in the playoffs is another manner. Game 1 had been so freaky, the Sens were sure to bounce back.

"He cannot hold this lead another fifteen minutes like this."

"There's no way he holds out ten more minutes under this onslaught."

"Five more minutes would be too much to ask."

"Well, why not just put on a cape, you damn superhero."

 

[NHL Dude 120]

Sens fan here. Maybe it's me but I feel like things started heading south for you guys after that Lucic hit to Miller. Wish him well in retirement but do you folks think something changed in the organization after that hit? The fact no one backed him up right away spoke volumes to me.

 

[haseoke39]

Sens fan here. Maybe it's me but I feel like things started heading south for you guys after that Lucic hit to Miller. Wish him well in retirement but do you folks think something changed in the organization after that hit? The fact no one backed him up right away spoke volumes to me.

Yes, and that's a pretty common view in Buffalo.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

I can't tell if he was the last active player with a Tie or not. Anderson and MAF both played before the lockout and have 2 games listed as T/OTL.

 

[Chainshot]

I can't tell if he was the last active player with a Tie or not. Anderson and MAF both played before the lockout and have 2 games listed as T/OTL.

Both do have ties. Anderson's first tie 3/23/03 was, MAF's was 10/22/03.

 

[SwordsgoneWild]

I loved you Millsy. One of my favs. Your 2009-2010 season was a treat to watch all year.. And plus his amazing play at the Olympics that year as well..Such a great season by him....... Then the Boston PO 1st round exit happened... Sigh.. Not inferring that Millsy was the reason that we lost 4 straight after taking the first two. Lots of other factors were in play . Main one being that absolutely deflating Vanek injury by Johny "Slasher movie imitating MFer! " Boychick. God that pissed me off and set the tone for the rest of that series. Thomas was looking like he was about to set aside that "Vanish" nickname that we all bestowed upon him then the hockey Gods were like. "hahahah nope!" And crippled our best forward that series up til that point.
Then flash forward next year to that Flyers series and that unforgivable Game 7 "effort" . Everyone should've slapped themselves across their stupid faces after that godawful game. Man we should've won that series the game before but I digress. Just highly annoying that our last good feeling -awesome -jump out of your seat - PO memory was that Tyler Eniss O.T goal in game 5. Sad rant over...... Not saying that series was on Miller . I mean we were lucky that we were even in that series at all much less in the driver's seat with 2 chances of sealing it away.
Though he definitely was one of the top scapegoats for that game 7 travesty. Such a gut punch of a game. Philly finally put their foot down and showed just why they were #2 to our #7. Hell if Enroth didn't bail us out for that great stretch of games in March /early April then we miss it . Point blank..

Sorry for the long winded post but the point I'm getting to is that the only fault that I have against Millsy was that I just felt that he never elevated his game come playoff time. He gave us a fair share of good to great games throughout his 4 postseason appearances in 6 season's to start off his starting career with us. But looking back I am hard pressed to find an amazing much less "great" Post Season effort from him. No one game leaos to mind. Sure he had that shutout in 06 against the Flyers (-3-0 I believe in Game 5 I believe and he did help calm the waters In the next series against Ott. That year (especially after that friggin bunkers Game 1 start )ll very good , but the point still stands : He just never seemed to up it to another level come PO time and that always irked me alittle especially after his amazing Vezina /Olympics year .Only to have the Bruins slay us. And suffer throught that stupid Edwards call " Snowball 1- Hell -zero. Lol good ol melodramatic Eddy boy.

In all he spoiled us with consistent solid to great goaltending for years on end. You left your mark here for sure Ryan . On all of us Sabre faithful and on some division rivals. Habs and leaf fans use to hate us when we should up on the schedule . Ryan loved bringing out his best for those two.. I remember a comment by a Habs fan on their board years ago.. went something like this " This is bullshit we're so much better but it's not fair going up against Supernatural goaltending"

Lol I use to love browsing their GDTs whenever Millsy stood on his head against either of them..The amount of "wtf ? How could he save that!!!??" Comments like Those use to nourish me and sustain my soul.

God with you son. You definitely left your mark here and in our hearts. You deserve that great career .

Best American Goalie ever? Probably not but he had the career and numbers to get into the Convo at least
Much appreciated and much respect from us all . Love you bud.

 

[old kummelweck]

OK, probably wont listen to Miller on a Vancouver-centric podcast. For anyone that listened, are there any revelations or interesting tidbits?

 

[sabremike]

Had he come back for a farewell season I think his number would've been retired. Unfortunately he didn't so the chances of it ever happening are incredibly low. If another # is retired it ought to be either Mogilny or Ruff (factoring in both his playing and coaching career that encompass half of our existence).

 

[Bobby Bottle Service]

#30 will be in the rafters next season.

 

[MarkusKetterer]

#30 will be in the rafters next season.

Why? Are we hanging Aaron Dell?