Ryan Miller

[spndnchz]

Pretty cool vid with Ryan on NHL.com

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=618&id=76944

 

Kinda in the "History will be made" format.

 

They have them for Cammalleri, Toews, OV and Crosby so far

[Calvin]

Phaneuf has one too

[Stoner]

I like the theme. Ryan himself is a pretty big question mark. Kind of lost in the shuffle this offseason was any discussion of how his game tailed off first half to second half. Not that he was terrible in the second half...

 

Darcy has hinted at it himself. Consistency is what Miller needs at this point in his career. Elite play for nine months would answer a lot of questions.

[JohnRobertEichel]

I like the theme. Ryan himself is a pretty big question mark. Kind of lost in the shuffle this offseason was any discussion of how his game tailed off first half to second half. Not that he was terrible in the second half...

 

Darcy has hinted at it himself. Consistency is what Miller needs at this point in his career. Elite play for nine months would answer a lot of questions.

 

Maybe the whole Olympics saga was a distraction for him last season. I also wonder if Miller turning the big "three-oh" in July will be the psychological impetus to stay focused for all nine months. He's not getting any younger, and the window may be closing for him to win a Stanley Cup and be considered one of the great ones before all is said and done.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

They tried it from 30 feet out but it hit the cutting room floor because too many got by.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PcL6-mjRNk

[nfreeman]

I like the theme. Ryan himself is a pretty big question mark. Kind of lost in the shuffle this offseason was any discussion of how his game tailed off first half to second half. Not that he was terrible in the second half...

 

Darcy has hinted at it himself. Consistency is what Miller needs at this point in his career. Elite play for nine months would answer a lot of questions.

 

The first bolded statement is nonsense.

 

Any support for the 2nd bolded assertion? Any stats? Anything? Nope? Just a vague notion you have? Or perhaps a desire to phrase a (misguided) agenda in factual terms?

 

Here are some facts, in case you're interested:

 

- Miller's GAA for the year was 2.22. His SV % was .929.

 

- In March, i.e. the stretch run for his team, despite the Olympics, which you claim was all he really cared about, having finished, he was 9-2 with a 2.38 GAA and .921 SV %.

 

- In the playoffs, his GAA was 2.35 and his SV % was .926.

[Stoner]

The first bolded statement is nonsense.

 

Any support for the 2nd bolded assertion? Any stats? Anything? Nope? Just a vague notion you have? Or perhaps a desire to phrase a (misguided) agenda in factual terms?

 

Here are some facts, in case you're interested:

 

- Miller's GAA for the year was 2.22. His SV % was .929.

 

- In March, i.e. the stretch run for his team, despite the Olympics, which you claim was all he really cared about, having finished, he was 9-2 with a 2.38 GAA and .921 SV %.

 

- In the playoffs, his GAA was 2.35 and his SV % was .926.

 

Ya know, this board doesn't always have to be homework or presenting a case to a jury. Objectively speaking, Miller's game tailed off first half to second half. Folks can look up the numbers.

 

In the playoffs, Miller was given a pair of two-goal leads and lost both games, and that's all I really care about. The question mark hanging over Miller (besides whether he can be elite over the course of a full season) is whether he can be at his very best in the springtime for a long enough stretch to take his team to a Cup. Maybe it's not a question mark anymore. He's almost 30 and the answer has been no several times. The answer has also been no twice as to whether he can even take his team to the postseason.

 

If you think every question surrounding Miller has been answered at this point in his career, well, I 'umbly disagree.

[Sterling Archer]

Miller is consistent. This team is not at all. If there is any goalie in the league whose GAA and SV% can decribe what he will do night in and night out, it's Ryan Miller.

 

The problem is this team which has a bunch of guys who show up for a week and then take 2 off. Ryan Miller is the reason this team got as far as it did last year. The reason we failed miserable is because guys like Pominville, Goose, Connolly, and Stafford have been gifted their spots based on small shining moments and not on their abilities as a whole.

 

To elaborate:

 

Pominville has the contract he does based on the time he spent on Briere's wing and the fact the puck bunnies love him and his ###### sells.

 

Connolly has the contract he does based on the fact of "when" he does play, he can be a ppg player. The problem is he's missed almost 50% of the games in his NHL career.

 

Goose has his contract because he is the only one on this team that can win FO's and he got resigned after the Mike Fisher contract and that's what everyone thought he was going to be.

 

Stafford has his contract because...

 

 

I have no clue why. He's sucked since that 12 games at the end of 06-07.

 

Miller has his contract because he is the best goalie in the league and probably the most consistent in the league and plays more games than any goalie in the league.

[Stoner]

OK, first half... second half.

 

The Sabres played 88 games last season. In the first 44 games, Miller's numbers are as follows:

 

25-8-3, 5 shutouts, 2.04 GAA, .935 S%

 

Anyone care to guess how Mr. Consistency fared in the second half?

[wonderbread]

OK, first half... second half.

 

The Sabres played 88 games last season. In the first 44 games, Miller's numbers are as follows:

 

25-8-3, 5 shutouts, 2.04 GAA, .935 S%

 

Anyone care to guess how Mr. Consistency fared in the second half?

my cats breath smells like cat food.

[Calvin]

Ya know, this board doesn't always have to be homework or presenting a case to a jury. Objectively speaking, Miller's game tailed off first half to second half. Folks can look up the numbers.

 

In the playoffs, Miller was given a pair of two-goal leads and lost both games, and that's all I really care about. The question mark hanging over Miller (besides whether he can be elite over the course of a full season) is whether he can be at his very best in the springtime for a long enough stretch to take his team to a Cup. Maybe it's not a question mark anymore. He's almost 30 and the answer has been no several times. The answer has also been no twice as to whether he can even take his team to the postseason.

 

If you think every question surrounding Miller has been answered at this point in his career, well, I 'umbly disagree.

Of course, none of what you are saying is because of the inability of the team to clear the blue line thereby creating lots of traffic in the zone and more chances as a result. That must be Miller's fault, damn the man for not getting off his ass and creating a transition game by controlling the points at the opposition's blue line.

 

I'm amazed there's been more than two posts from you in the thread and no mention of Ruff's ineptitude yet, or wait, did he ruin Miller's career too?

[Stoner]

Of course, none of what you are saying is because of the inability of the team to clear the blue line thereby creating lots of traffic in the zone and more chances as a result. That must be Miller's fault, damn the man for not getting off his ass and creating a transition game by controlling the points at the opposition's blue line.

 

I'm amazed there's been more than two posts from you in the thread and no mention of Ruff's ineptitude yet, or wait, did he ruin Miller's career too?

 

Goalies face shots. News flash. They are asked to do the impossible. It's the job description and the nature of this crazy sport.

 

You are damning Ryan with faint praise by saying, yeah, he's good... if he doesn't have to deal with too many scoring chances.

[Calvin]

Goalies face shots. News flash. They are asked to do the impossible. It's the job description and the nature of this crazy sport.

 

You are damning Ryan with faint praise by saying, yeah, he's good... if he doesn't have to deal with too many scoring chances.

Do you really think that Brodeur's glowing stats are all him and nothing to do with the system he plays in?

[X. Benedict]

Pretty cool vid with Ryan on NHL.com

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=618&id=76944

 

Kinda in the "History will be made" format.

 

They have them for Cammalleri, Toews, OV and Crosby so far

very cool. :thumbsup:

[Stoner]

OK, since nfreeman is skeered to ask, here's how Miller's second half went.

 

18-14-5, 0 SOs, 2.42 GAA, .922 S%. Again, not terrible, in fact pretty good. But there surely was a dropoff in his game from the fall.

 

As for my dimestore psychoanalysis of someone I don't know, remember what someone who knows Miller had to say (Darcy): The Sabres benefited from the fact that last season was an Olympic season for Miller. Surely, Darcy thought trying to make the Olympic team/tuning up for the Olympics motivated Miller to new heights in his NHL career.

 

If I was a conspiracy theorist, I would point out Miller's stats before and after being named to the Olympic team.

 

Here's another opinion you'll like. Miller would rather win a gold medal for the U.S. than a Stanley Cup for the Sabres. It's really not a slam on him. He just loves USA Hockey more, that's all. It's in his blood.

[NowDoYouBelieve]

OK, since nfreeman is skeered to ask, here's how Miller's second half went.

 

18-14-5, 0 SOs, 2.42 GAA, .922 S%. Again, not terrible, in fact pretty good. But there surely was a dropoff in his game from the fall.

 

As for my dimestore psychoanalysis of someone I don't know, remember what someone who knows Miller had to say (Darcy): The Sabres benefited from the fact that last season was an Olympic season for Miller. Surely, Darcy thought trying to make the Olympic team/tuning up for the Olympics motivated Miller to new heights in his NHL career.

 

If I was a conspiracy theorist, I would point out Miller's stats before and after being named to the Olympic team.

 

Here's another opinion you'll like. Miller would rather win a gold medal for the U.S. than a Stanley Cup for the Sabres. It's really not a slam on him. He just loves USA Hockey more, that's all. It's in his blood.

 

Ryan's worse second half stats can be explained by simple regression toward the mean. His first half represented an arguably unsustainable pace, given his career numbers.

[Ghost of Dwight Drane]

6'2" 165lbs

 

70+games

 

Been discussed for years here......just like cat breath.

 

 

Lindy.....want a cup? Play Miller 60 regular season games. You will do more in the playoffs as a 7 seed this way than a 3 seed your way.

 

Maybe Lindy will learn before Miller retires or is rushed to ECMC in May.

 

It's so simple it's sad.

[Kristian]

6'2" 165lbs

 

70+games

 

Been discussed for years here......just like cat breath.

 

 

I don't think there there many people around here who would disagree Miller isn't capable of playing more than 60, maybe 65 games a year, but I never bought into the fact that it has anything to do with his frame.

 

If anything, he has substantially less weight to haul around when facing 30+ shots a night. A guy like Brodeur is a workhorse, or at least he used to be. Him being borderline fat has nothing to do with his ability to play 70+ games a season either.

 

This is pro hockey, not a pie-eating contest.

 

You want Miller to be able to play more games, ask his defense to stop letting all those shots through, or at least tell Ruff that his wonderful 5-guys-below-the-circles-face-blasts-from-the-points-all-game-long system isn't helping his goaltender.

[Sterling Archer]

I don't think there there many people around here who would disagree Miller isn't capable of playing more than 60, maybe 65 games a year, but I never bought into the fact that it has anything to do with his frame.

 

If anything, he has substantially less weight to haul around when facing 30+ shots a night. A guy like Brodeur is a workhorse, or at least he used to be. Him being borderline fat has nothing to do with his ability to play 70+ games a season either.

 

This is pro hockey, not a pie-eating contest.

 

You want Miller to be able to play more games, ask his defense to stop letting all those shots through, or at least tell Ruff that his wonderful 5-guys-below-the-circles-face-blasts-from-the-points-all-game-long system isn't helping his goaltender.

 

Dude is actually right. Having that extra reserve while still maintaining game shape can really help. I can personally say I had a lot more endurance when I was 50 pounds heavier and even when I'm 10 pounds heavier, I notice a serious difference in how I feel the next day.

[darksabre]

I still don't get why people think Miller would be willing to play any less than he already does. The man is a competitor and wants to win. If Lindy asked him to play every game I bet he wouldn't think twice about it.

[Kristian]

Dude is actually right. Having that extra reserve while still maintaining game shape can really help. I can personally say I had a lot more endurance when I was 50 pounds heavier and even when I'm 10 pounds heavier, I notice a serious difference in how I feel the next day.

 

But are you a pro athlete?

 

In some of the most intense endurance sports, like marathon running and pro cycling, you have guys who are nothing but essentially skin and bone giving it their max for prolonged periods of time. A guy like Lance Armstrong didn't become a Tour de France winner until he came back from his cancer treatments, literally shredded to the bone.

 

You can of course argue that he needs to weigh as little as possible to climb mountains successfully which is very true, however he still needs to have the endurance to race for 5 hours a day, for 21 days.

 

I'm not saying bulking up can't help Miller's game in some way, I personally have no idea. All I'm saying is that it's a myth that being skinny gives you a disadvantage endurance-wise, if anything the tradeoff of the lesser weight to haul around works in favor of increased endurance, rather than against it.

 

If Miller has endurance problems due to his weight, it's because something is wrong with his diet and he doesn't get the nutrition he needs to maintain his level of fitness. That's an entirely different matter, and in this case I agree - Being skinny gives you little to no margin for error before you pay the price.

[spndnchz]

Beetroot juice. Jus' sayin'.

[Stoner]

Ryan's worse second half stats can be explained by simple regression toward the mean. His first half represented an arguably unsustainable pace, given his career numbers.

 

I wouldn't disagree with that.

[spndnchz]

Take what u want from this chart I posted last year, a bit of a dip mid season but after a great start fairly consistent.

 

[Stoner]

Take what u want from this chart I posted last year, a bit of a dip mid season but after a great start fairly consistent.

 

 

Why so many missing games?

 

Anyway, I'd like you to take two Digoxin and call me in the morning.