Ryan Miller facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ryan Miller
Miller with the St. Louis Blues in 2014
Born	(1980-07-17) July 17, 1980 (age 45) East Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	168 lb (76 kg; 12 st 0 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	Buffalo Sabres St. Louis Blues Vancouver Canucks Anaheim Ducks
National team	United States
NHL Draft	138th overall, 1999 Buffalo Sabres
Playing career	2002–2021

Ryan Dean Miller (born July 17, 1980) is a famous American former ice hockey goaltender. He played for 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), mostly for the Buffalo Sabres.

Miller was picked by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1999 NHL Draft. In 2010, he won the Vezina Trophy, which is given to the league's best goalie. He was the American-born goalie with the most wins in NHL history for a long time. In January 2023, Miller was added to the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame, and his jersey number 30 was retired. He was also inducted into the Rochester Americans Hall of Fame in April 2025.

He played for the U.S. team in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He helped the team win a silver medal and was named the most valuable player of the tournament. He also played in the 2014 Winter Olympics. Ryan Miller is one of only 39 goalies in NHL history to win 300 games in his career. He was known for his "hybrid style" of goaltending, which means he used a mix of different techniques. His older brother, Drew Miller, also played in the NHL.

Early Life and Hockey Start

Ryan Miller grew up in East Lansing, Michigan. He started playing youth hockey in California. At first, he played as a forward, scoring goals. But he wasn't happy with his team's goalie. So, he asked his coach and his dad, Dean Miller, if he could try being a goalie. His dad told him that if he scored two goals and got three assists in the next game, he would buy Ryan a special catching glove. Ryan did it! He finished that game with two goals and three assists, and his team won.

Ryan comes from a family of hockey players. His brother Drew and cousins Kelly, Kevin, and Kip all played in the NHL. All five of them went to Michigan State University, where Ryan played goalie for three years.

Playing Career Highlights

Miller with the Rochester Americans in 2004

Time with the Buffalo Sabres (2002–2014)

After playing college hockey at Michigan State, Miller joined the American Hockey League (AHL). He played for the Rochester Americans, which was a team linked to the Buffalo Sabres. He played there from 2002 to 2005. During the 2002–03 season, he also played 15 games for the Buffalo Sabres. In the 2004–05 season, when the NHL wasn't playing due to a lockout, he won 41 games for the Americans. This tied a record set by another famous goalie, Gerry Cheevers.

In the 2005–06 NHL season, Ryan Miller became the main goalie for the Sabres. He helped them have a surprising season, winning 30 games and making it to the conference finals. After this great season, the Sabres signed him to a new three-year contract in September 2006.

Miller with the Sabres in 2010.

The 2006–07 NHL season was also very successful. Miller and his team won their first 10 games in a row! He was chosen to be the starting goalie for the Eastern Conference in the 2007 NHL All-Star Game. Miller also became known as a "shootout specialist" because he was very good at stopping shots during penalty shootouts.

On January 1, 2008, Miller played in the first outdoor NHL game held in the United States, called the AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic. It was played at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Even though the Sabres lost in a shootout, Miller only let in one goal during the main game. On March 28, he played his 73rd game of the season, breaking the Sabres' record for most games played by a goalie in one season.

On July 18, 2008, Miller signed a big five-year contract with the Sabres. In the 2009–10 NHL season, Miller played amazingly well. He led the Buffalo Sabres to win their division and had 41 wins, which was a new personal record. Because of his excellent play, he was nominated for the Vezina Trophy. On June 23, 2010, Ryan Miller won the 2010 Vezina Trophy as the league's best goalie! He also became the first American player to win the NHL Foundation Player Award that same night.

Miller was very popular in Buffalo and among American hockey fans. People gave him nicknames like "Miller Time" and the "Leaf Killer" because he was so good against the Toronto Maple Leafs. On February 4, 2012, Miller made history by getting his 235th career win with the Sabres. This meant he passed Dominik Hašek to become the team's all-time leader in wins.

Miller with the Vancouver Canucks in 2015

Moving to Other Teams (2014–2021)

On February 28, 2014, Miller was traded from the Sabres to the St. Louis Blues. He played well for the Blues, but they lost in the first round of the playoffs. After that season, Miller became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.

On July 1, 2014, he signed a three-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks. On October 28, Miller reached another big milestone: he became the 30th goalie in NHL history to get 300 career wins! He even beat every team in the NHL at least once after defeating his old team, the Buffalo Sabres, on January 30, 2015.

After his contract with the Canucks ended, Miller signed a two-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks on July 1, 2017. On February 17, 2019, he became the winningest American-born goalie in NHL history, passing John Vanbiesbrouck. He signed two more one-year contracts with the Ducks.

On April 29, 2021, Ryan Miller announced that he would retire from the NHL at the end of the 2020–21 NHL season. He played his final NHL game on May 8, 2021. On January 19, 2023, the Buffalo Sabres retired his number 30 jersey. In September 2022, it was also announced that Miller would be inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.

Playing for Team USA

Miller at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Silver	2010 Vancouver

Ryan Miller was a reserve goalie for the U.S. team at the 2006 Winter Olympics, but he didn't play in any games.

He was chosen as the starting goalie for the U.S. in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He led the team to a perfect 5–0 start, including a big 5–3 win over gold-medal favorite Canada. He stopped 42 out of 45 shots in that game! His amazing play helped the U.S. reach the gold medal game, where they faced Canada again. In the final game, the U.S. lost 3–2 in overtime, even though Miller made 36 saves. The U.S. won the silver medal, and Miller was named the most valuable player of the tournament. He also won the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) award for best goalie and was named to the All-Star team.

Miller was also on the U.S. team for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. He played in one game, making 17 saves in a 5–1 win against Slovenia. The U.S. team did not win a medal in Sochi that year.

Amazing Records

NHL Records

• Most shootout wins by a goalie in one season: 10

Buffalo Sabres Records

• Most games played by a goalie (540)
• Most minutes played by a goalie (31,661)
• Most career wins (284)
• Most wins in a season (41 in 2009–10)

USA Hockey Olympics Records

• Best career goals against average (1.30)
• Most goalie assists all-time (1)

Michigan State Spartans Records

• Best career goals against average (1.54)
• Best career save percentage (.941)
• Most career shutouts (26)

Personal Life

Ryan Miller married actress Noureen DeWulf on September 3, 2011. They have two children: a son born in March 2015 and a daughter born in April 2022.

In 2006, Ryan and his father, Dean, started the Steadfast Foundation. This foundation helps cancer patients and their families. Miller started it after his cousin was diagnosed with leukaemia.

Career Statistics

International Play Statistics

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	W	L	T	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2002	United States	WC	7th		4	2	2	0	238	7	1	1.76	.950
2003	United States	WC	13th		4	2	2	0	193	8	0	2.49	.889
2010	United States	OG			6	5	1	0	355	8	1	1.35	.946
2014	United States	OG	4th		1	1	0	0	60	1	0	1.00	.944
Senior totals					15	8	3	0	846	24	2	1.70	.938

Awards and Honors

Images for kids

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  Miller's helmet with the words "Matt Man".

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  Miller with the Sabres in 2011.