Ryan Miller

[SabresneedaCup]

Someone earlier called you a "troll".

 

I can't figure out why... :rolleyes:

me neither im honestly stunned.

[SabresFanInRochester]

Why do people hate star athletes? I remember, on the football field, Jim Kelly was either loved or hated, and if you were a fan of the Bills, I couldn't understand why you would hate him.

 

Here we go with Miller and the Sabres.

 

2011 prediction -- Facebook page titled 'Tyler Myers sucks' because he doesn't fight, and he turns the puck over. And we will hear someone rant and rave about Myers being over-rated and dissect his mistakes from the season.

 

My opinion -- Miller is the face of the franchise. If you support the Sabres franchise, why would you belittle him?

[SabresneedaCup]

Why do people hate star athletes? I remember, on the football field, Jim Kelly was either loved or hated, and if you were a fan of the Bills, I couldn't understand why you would hate him.

 

Here we go with Miller and the Sabres.

 

2011 prediction -- Facebook page titled 'Tyler Myers sucks' because he doesn't fight, and he turns the puck over. And we will hear someone rant and rave about Myers being over-rated and dissect his mistakes from the season.

 

My opinion -- Miller is the face of the franchise. If you support the Sabres franchise, why would you belittle him?

just because someone is the face of the franchise doesnt mean you have to like them. and for the record i have never liked miller as a hockey player.

[gregkash]

ok so miller was better stat wise in those years but i watched all of those games and couldnt see why they thought he was better.

 

This is why some people shouldn't be allowed to have opinions.

[gregkash]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQKfFKr-M7g

 

/thread

[That Aud Smell]

This thread is pure garbage. All this crap about not needing a goalie to win the cup

there's no question that you need great goaltending to win the cup. for my own part, what i've been reflecting on is the extent to which you can get great goaltending from someone who's not a "great" goaltender (maybe someone who's just "good" or "very good"). i'm not prepared to say that any of the last 6 cup-winning goalies were/are great or elite -- they were good/very good and elevated their games in the spring.

 

i also note with increasing interest the extent to which the cup-winning goalies had light workloads during the regular season (see below). if you're a team with a great/elite goalie (canucks, sabres, devils (well, formerly maybe), flames), you need to give this trend serious thought.

 

niemi (09-10): 39 GP

fleury (08-09): 62 GP

osgood (07-08): 43 GP

giguere (06-07): 56 GP

ward (05-06): 28 GP

khabibulin: (03-04): 55 GP

 

do you think the flyers would have like to have Miller in the net during the playoffs?

Um, yes? :rolleyes:

 

They would have beat Chicago if they had some better goaltending.

no one would disagree with that.

 

but query why it is that they don't have better goaltending. bad luck and bad personnel decisions are part of it. but a core philosophy on how to build a team and where to devote your money are also part of it.

[Stoner]

 

/thread

 

Yeah, that's the end of the discussion. He made a great save, just like every other goalie in the history of professional hockey.

 

Fantastic.

[Stoner]

i also note with increasing interest the extent to which the cup-winning goalies had light workloads during the regular season (see below). if you're a team with a great/elite goalie (canucks, sabres, devils (well, formerly maybe), flames), you need to give this trend serious thought.

 

niemi (09-10): 39 GP

fleury (08-09): 62 GP

osgood (07-08): 43 GP

giguere (06-07): 56 GP

ward (05-06): 28 GP

khabibulin: (03-04): 55 GP

 

 

Can you forward this to Lindy? Does he have e-mail, maybe an AOL account? Even with the luxury of resting Miller at the end, he was still driving him into the ground.

[shrader]

there's no question that you need great goaltending to win the cup. for my own part, what i've been reflecting on is the extent to which you can get great goaltending from someone who's not a "great" goaltender (maybe someone who's just "good" or "very good"). i'm not prepared to say that any of the last 6 cup-winning goalies were/are great or elite -- they were good/very good and elevated their games in the spring.

 

i also note with increasing interest the extent to which the cup-winning goalies had light workloads during the regular season (see below). if you're a team with a great/elite goalie (canucks, sabres, devils (well, formerly maybe), flames), you need to give this trend serious thought.

 

niemi (09-10): 39 GP

fleury (08-09): 62 GP

osgood (07-08): 43 GP

giguere (06-07): 56 GP

ward (05-06): 28 GP

khabibulin: (03-04): 55 GP

 

I see more of a trend of backup goalies stepping up and stealing the job from struggling starters. Fleury, Giguere, and Khabibulan are the only ones who don't fit that label (ok, half the list), but there were also injury issues among those guys.

[That Aud Smell]

I see more of a trend of backup goalies stepping up and stealing the job from struggling starters.

this is starting to feel a little like that abbott and costello routine.

[shrader]

this is starting to feel a little like that abbott and costello routine.

 

It's a little known fact that I don't know won the cup in 67.

[spndnchz]

It's a little known fact that I don't know won the cup in 67.

 

Who?

[shrader]

Who?

 

I don't know.

[spndnchz]

I don't know.

 

Third base. Now who's on second?

[Tyrannustyrannus]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQKfFKr-M7g

 

/thread

 

exactly

[SabresneedaCup]

exactly

see what PA said.

[bunomatic]

I find it incredibly telling how 29 other G.M.s can absolutely gush about Millers poise,approach to the game,concentration under pressure,positioning,maturity,leadership abilities,etc ad nauseum yet when Sabres fans talk about Miller they get into debates about his crooked eyes. You just can't please some people. I'll tell you this Buffalo,enjoy having him while you do because there will be lean years when it comes to goaltending after he's gone. Just ask the Flyers or a host of other teams in this league who don't have goaltending. And for those of you that say "but look at the flyers,they went to the finals with a back-up", Miller was'nt the reason we went out in the first round and leighton/Boucher were'nt the reason the flyers went to the finals.

[That Aud Smell]

for my own part, what i've been reflecting on is the extent to which you can get great goaltending from someone who's not a "great" goaltender (maybe someone who's just "good" or "very good"). i'm not prepared to say that any of the last 6 cup-winning goalies were/are great or elite -- they were good/very good and elevated their games in the spring.

I see more of a trend of backup goalies stepping up and stealing the job from struggling starters.

 

fwiw, greg at puck daddy is giving some play to the notional thought discussed above.

 

here's the text, with the relevant piece bolded toward the end:

 

Evgeni Nabokov never earned a championship in his 10 seasons with the San Jose Sharks, but it appears he's at least earned the privilege of a public explanation for why his services are no longer needed with the franchise.

 

In an unusual move, the Sharks posted a message on their Web site explaining "a scenario they've previously dealt with in the NHL's salary cap era, but not quite at this level." They announced that they're "going forward with a new goaltending situation next year" and that Nabokov, an unrestricted free agent, "will not be back in teal."

 

(From now on, we're imagining that last line as GM Doug Wilson's version of "You're fired!" or "Please pack your knives and go.")

 

From the Sharks, here's Doug Wilson on his now-former goalie:

 

Having this decision in hand allows Wilson to be proactive on potential contracts for current players such as Patrick Marleau(notes), Joe Pavelski(notes), Scott Nichol(notes), Manny Malhotra(notes), Niclas Wallin(notes) and Devin Setoguchi(notes). This direction will give San Jose flexibility in other areas as well.

 

"We would like to thank Nabby for the time he has spent in San Jose," said Wilson. "Nabby has been a big part of this team for the past 10 seasons and played an important role is our successes. This decision boils down to a dedication of dollars in a salary cap system and under this system, teams can't keep everyone. We are excited about the goaltenders coming up through our system and we will also keep an eye on assets that may become available in the coming weeks."

 

Congratulations for coming to your senses, Mr. Wilson. Nabokov was a fabulous regular-season goalie with an affinity for soul-crushing moments of underwhelming play during the postseason. Through the Sharks' years of futility in the playoffs, he's been the constant. It wasn't worth reinvesting in that for another $5.4 million against the cap or higher.

 

But now, the Sharks need a goalie. Thomas Greiss(notes) is under contract, and AHL keeper Alex Stalock(notes) is, according to PJ from Sharkspage, "probably the best goaltending prospect the Sharks have had in the pipeline since Kiprusoff and Nabokov."

 

Is it possible they'll go with that tandem next season and allocate Nabokov's funds to re-sign veteran players and add depth to the blue line? Have Michael Leighton and Antti Niemi shifted the paradigm for goaltending on Cup contenders?

 

And if so: Who is paying Nabokov?

[Guest Sloth]

i cant stand ryan miller and never really liked him mostly because of his personality. he seems very egotistical and i dont like how he insults our players. can you imagine if anyone of the players insulted him? hed probly cry. i dont think the players like him and its for good reason.

 

anyway about him on the ice hes definately overrated. hes good but all you have to do is wire a wrist shot high and its a goal. and whats with all the garbage goals he lets in? how many times have the sabres been 2 to 0 or 3 to 0 but with 5 minutes left miller lets in the most pathetic goal ever. thats why he never gets shutouts.

 

in 05 06 how was he any better than biron? i remember miller getting a hand injury and biron stepped in and won 14 games in a row! 14! and if you look at birons stats before the lockout they were pretty good even though the rest of the was not very good. i never understood how miller was any better than biron, he may be now but not a few years ago.

 

to somes things up miller is a d bag who is overrated and i dont like him.

 

You know the Sabres were undefeated in regular season games when they were leading by at least 1 after 2 periods, right? It happened 30+ times or so. Miller also had 5 shutouts this year, which placed him 7th in the league. He had a .929 save%, and that placed him 2nd in the NHL in that department. As for his GAA, Miller sat at 2.22. He was 2nd in the NHL in that category as well. To say the guy is over rated is beyond stupid. You should be very happy Miller is on the Sabres. Many analysts considered him as the best goalie in the world this past year. Miller was THE reason Team USA came so close to taking gold at the Olympics, and if it wasn't for Miller, the Sabres would not have won the division title.

 

Biron was a very good goalie for the Sabres, but you need to take a look at the stats before you make a post like that. He did not win 14 games in a row. He went that many game without a loss. There is a big difference between and OTL and a win.

 

I will admit I hope the Sabres acquire Biron to backup Miller for the 10/11 season. He is reliable, and many Buffalo fans would love to have him back in town. The Sabres have lacked a true backup since his departure in 07.

[shrader]

...

 

It's interesting stuff, but I think it's far more about Nabokov himself than it is Niemi/Leighton. The writer pretty much nailed it when he mentioned his consistent playoff futility. Soon to be 35, Nabokov is pretty much a proven commodity at this point. If he had shown a bit more over his career in the playoffs, he might be worth the money, but given that and San Jose's tight cap situation, it's time to give someone else a shot.

[deluca67]

Ryan Miller?

 

So I wake up to sound bites of Miller complaining on how the regular season doesn't get enough respect. I immediately go to another sound bite of Kobi Bryant. By no means am I a NBA or Kobi Bryant fan. It just stuck out that Bryant stated that if he didn't win the Championship the season is a complete loss or failure. This is from a 5 time Champion with far more accolades than Miller. Is that the difference between a Champion and the rest? Is that why when it comes to crunch time Miller is the one who ends up congratulating the winning team? Is Miller destined to always be the gracious loser and never a Champion?

[nfreeman]

Ryan Miller?

 

So I wake up to sound bites of Miller complaining on how the regular season doesn't get enough respect. I immediately go to another sound bite of Kobi Bryant. By no means am I a NBA or Kobi Bryant fan. It just stuck out that Bryant stated that if he didn't win the Championship the season is a complete loss or failure. This is from a 5 time Champion with far more accolades than Miller. Is that the difference between a Champion and the rest? Is that why when it comes to crunch time Miller is the one who ends up congratulating the winning team? Is Miller destined to always be the gracious loser and never a Champion?

Basketball and hockey are both team games. Kobe didn't win championships when he didn't have very strong teammates and neither will Miller (or any other great player in either league).

 

You might check some quotes from Kobe following seasons in which he won MVP/scoring title/other but in which the Lakers didn't do anything in the playoffs.

[SwampD]

Basketball and hockey are both team games. Kobe didn't win championships when he didn't have very strong teammates and neither will Miller (or any other great player in either league).

 

You might check some quotes from Kobe following seasons in which he won MVP/scoring title/other but in which the Lakers didn't do anything in the playoffs.

I had trouble concentrating while reading this post because the sound of,"But, we won the division." was ringing in my ears.

[That Aud Smell]

Ryan Miller?

 

So I wake up to sound bites of Miller complaining on how the regular season doesn't get enough respect.

guess i need to hear the quote(s) before weighing in.

 

ahh, what the heck: sounds like miller is just doing what he can to spin some positives from a season that saw some progress, but ended in disappointment. i have no doubt that he wants nothing more than to win it all. i don't think you get to a point of saying what bryant said until you've won a title or two. until then, you're better served saying that good things happened last season, we need to build on them, etc., etc.

 

and, not for nothing, but in the english premier league (i know, i know - flame away - it's SOCCER), *the* top prize is the regular season title. there's an elimination post-season tourney for the EPL, but the tournament title is not as treasured. i'm not saying that the reality of nhl success is going to change, or that it should change. just saying that the way we perceive success is, to some degree, arbitrary.

[CallawaySabres]

There is not a chance in ###### Miller doesn't want the Cup as much as the next guy. He is very exact when he speaks and he probably thinks there is no reason to crap on a season just because they didn't win the Cup. So what, they are words, just words