Edmonton Journal Article: "Miller Deserves To Win Hart"

[matter2003]

Perhaps he went a little overboard with his statement, but the writer states the Sabres would be the Columbus Blue Jackets of the Eastern Conference without Ryan Miller, and that he should be the Hart Trophy winner, over Ovechkin, Crosby and Bryzgalov. Nice to see Ryan getting the love from around the NHL. If there is a year when a goalie is gonna win the Hart again, this might be it with his stellar regular season added to his highly watched Olympic MVP performance.

 

Edmonton Journal Article

[Stoner]

Ryan has said many times this season he is benefitting from the maturation of a defensive system that was put in place a couple of years ago. He preaches that system. That system does not involve him standing on his head, although he's had to do it several times this season. And -- yes this surprised me -- he has the ninth best offense in the league in front of him. Lalime's record duly noted, the idea that the Sabres are in 29th place without Miller, BELOW THE LEAFS, is a little over the top. Miller shouldn't win the Hart -- as X pointed out yesterday, seasons like this for goaltenders are not all that unusual.

[Hank]

Nice write up. I dont think Miller has a chance though. I think for him to win it they would have to finish with the two seed, I'm hoping Lindy rests him the last few games after they clinch the division so I don't think they will get it. While we who follow the Sabres know how much he means to the team, those that don't are more likely to just see the stats. Millers are not significantly better than everyone else and I think they would need to be for him to win the hart.

[wjag]

Crosby will win it for no other reason than that biggest non-NHL goal he scored in Vancouver. I know you puriest will say the two shouldn't and aren't linked, but that was the biggest goal scored this year and it will have a subliminal if not outright conscious vote swayer.

 

The only one he can lose it to is OV, but he's been suspended twice this season. I don't know how you can reward that with the Hart.

[matter2003]

Crosby will win it for no other reason than that biggest non-NHL goal he scored in Vancouver. I know you puriest will say the two shouldn't and aren't linked, but that was the biggest goal scored this year and it will have a subliminal if not outright conscious vote swayer.

 

The only one he can lose it to is OV, but he's been suspended twice this season. I don't know how you can reward that with the Hart.

 

I wouldn't give to Ovechkin for another reason linked to your statement. He has been suspended twice this year, and his team still slapped teams around while he was gone. If he was truly the MVP, the team would have tanked while he was gone. Is he a great player, of course, but his team is also very good without him as well...

[wjag]

I wouldn't give to Ovechkin for another reason linked to your statement. He has been suspended twice this year, and his team still slapped teams around while he was gone. If he was truly the MVP, the team would have tanked while he was gone. Is he a great player, of course, but his team is also very good without him as well...

I thought of that as I was typing in. I saw two of the games Was played while he was suspended. Both were against Florida. The Capitals scored 14 goals in his abscence. They actually looked, dear I say, better?

[R_Dudley]

Perhaps he went a little overboard with his statement, but the writer states the Sabres would be the Columbus Blue Jackets of the Eastern Conference without Ryan Miller, and that he should be the Hart Trophy winner, over Ovechkin, Crosby and Bryzgalov. Nice to see Ryan getting the love from around the NHL. If there is a year when a goalie is gonna win the Hart again, this might be it with his stellar regular season added to his highly watched Olympic MVP performance.

 

Edmonton Journal Article

 

I agree with the sentiment here on the thread it will be hard for him to beat Sid the kid, the saviour for keeping Pens in Pgh and the face of the NHL. Although I have noticed Ryan being shown the love from the USA teams fans post olympics. That does tell me the American hockey fans now know who he is just that Buffalo does not garner much national attention beyond that.

 

As an aside I would sure like to see that motivate the rest of the team to prove going into the playoffs they are more than Ryan Miller.

[deluca67]

The only reason Miller doesn't win the MVP is those voters who want the honor to go to a non-goalie because they consider the Vezina the goalie MVP award. There is no player more valuable to his team than Miller. Without Miller this team is at the bottom of a weak conference. He is the only reason they are in the playoffs and in position to win a division and get home ice. Any voter who votes otherwise should have that privilege taken away.

[Doohicksie]

I tend to agree that Buffalo would be an also-ran without Miller. Defensive system or not, the guy is left on his own on too many plays. I may be reading into it, but it used to be that the vibe he gave out after allowing a goal was the typical goalie, "Sorry I messed up"; a lot of the time now instead of that I get a vibe of frustration at the rest of the team.

 

Anyway, that's the sense I get.

[Chemich]

The only reason Miller doesn't win the MVP is those voters who want the honor to go to a non-goalie because they consider the Vezina the goalie MVP award. There is no player more valuable to his team than Miller. Without Miller this team is at the bottom of a weak conference. He is the only reason they are in the playoffs and in position to win a division and get home ice. Any voter who votes otherwise should have that privilege taken away.

 

It's possible he might even get the cover of NHL 2011, but that's nothing like a Vezina trophy to be honest.

 

I really hope he does get the Vezina this year, it'd be a treasure for his hard work. Especially considering what you said, we'd probably even be below Carolina in the standings. *shivers*

[deluca67]

I tend to agree that Buffalo would be an also-ran without Miller. Defensive system or not, the guy is left on his own on too many plays. I may be reading into it, but it used to be that the vibe he gave out after allowing a goal was the typical goalie, "Sorry I messed up"; a lot of the time now instead of that I get a vibe of frustration at the rest of the team.

 

Anyway, that's the sense I get.

The Montreal game is a prime example. That game could have been 5 or 6-0 if not for Miller.

[Dark_Sabre5763]

The only reason Miller doesn't win the MVP is those voters who want the honor to go to a non-goalie because they consider the Vezina the goalie MVP award. There is no player more valuable to his team than Miller. Without Miller this team is at the bottom of a weak conference. He is the only reason they are in the playoffs and in position to win a division and get home ice. Any voter who votes otherwise should have that privilege taken away.

 

 

Exactly. Miller is the main reason the Sabres are sitting where they are right now. We'd be really screwed if it wasn't for him, and the team would be taking to the golf course early.

[Xray]

We'd have 65 points without Miller if Lalemon was the starter.

But that's pretty much true for just about any other team.

[wjag]

Sorry, it's just bunk to state the team would have 65 points if not for Miller. It's also bunk to project anything about Lalime's stats. If he was the everyday starter, he just might surprise a few folks.

[FogBat]

Exactly. Miller is the main reason the Sabres are sitting where they are right now. We'd be really screwed if it wasn't for him, and the team would be taking to the golf course early.

Second coming of Dominik Hasek?

[Sabre Dance]

Miller should be nominated for both the Vezina and the Hart, but will only win the Vezina. Unless the Sabres make the Cup finals, in which case he will win both.

[Stoner]

Miller should be nominated for both the Vezina and the Hart, but will only win the Vezina. Unless the Sabres make the Cup finals, in which case he will win both.

 

I'm pretty sure the voting for this takes place before the playoffs. Just checked -- yep.

[shrader]

Sorry, it's just bunk to state the team would have 65 points if not for Miller. It's also bunk to project anything about Lalime's stats. If he was the everyday starter, he just might surprise a few folks.

 

And if for some reason Miller wasn't a part of this team, Lalime wouldn't be the #1 goalie. Someone else would be here.

[deluca67]

Sorry, it's just bunk to state the team would have 65 points if not for Miller. It's also bunk to project anything about Lalime's stats. If he was the everyday starter, he just might surprise a few folks.

I agree 100%, this is "bunk." There is no way in ###### this team could get to 65 points with lessor goal-tending. The league has seen Lalime as a starter. Which is why he is a back-up now.

[matter2003]

Exactly. Miller is the main reason the Sabres are sitting where they are right now. We'd be really screwed if it wasn't for him, and the team would be taking to the golf course early.

 

But we DO have him. It would be like saying if the Oilers didn't have Gretzky, they never would have won all those Stanley Cups, or if Pittsburgh didn't have Lemieux or Crosby, they wouldn't be that good. The whole point is they DO have those players. That is what makes them good in the first place. Doesn't it sound rather silly to say "If a team doesn't have its best player, it wouldn't be as good?" Isn't that common sense?

[NowDoYouBelieve]

But we DO have him. It would be like saying if the Oilers didn't have Gretzky, they never would have won all those Stanley Cups, or if Pittsburgh didn't have Lemieux or Crosby, they wouldn't be that good. The whole point is they DO have those players. That is what makes them good in the first place. Doesn't it sound rather silly to say "If a team doesn't have its best player, it wouldn't be as good?" Isn't that common sense?

 

Exactly. For some reason, when a team's best player is its goaltender the team is talked about as if it doesn't deserve his services.

 

"Edmonton was an 8 seed and made it to the Cup Finals in 2006."

 

"Yeah, but they never could've done it without Roloson."

 

 

 

"The Devils are probably the best team of the decade."

 

"Nah, they rely on Brodeur too much."

 

 

That sort of thing.

 

Earth to hockey fans, the goalie is a player on the team too, not some gun for hire.

[Calvin]

Crosby will win it for no other reason than that biggest non-NHL goal he scored in Vancouver. I know you puriest will say the two shouldn't and aren't linked, but that was the biggest goal scored this year and it will have a subliminal if not outright conscious vote swayer.

But isn't it true that a lot of vote-swaying towards Miller for the Vezina is also directly linked to his performance during the Olympics, when he captured the general public's attention?

 

If this was not the Olympic year and he was still doing as well as he has, there would be barely a peep out there for him to be nominated for the Hart.. Vezina maybe, but definitely not the Hart.