Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Arguably one of the best players to ever wear a Buffalo Sabres uniform is set to be honored by the team during the 2022-23 season.
In a video tweeted out by the Sabres on Friday, the team announced that Miller will not only be inducted into the Sabres Hall of Fame, but he will also have his No. 30 retired by the team and raised to the rafters of KeyBank Center.
"Ryan Miller embodied what people in Western New York expect from those who wear a Buffalo Sabres uniform: on-ice excellence, commitment, and authentic love for this community," said Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams in a team statement. "His lasting relationship with the people here in Buffalo remains a standard we strive to follow every day.
"We are thrilled for Ryan to take his rightful place alongside his fellow Sabres legends and look forward to celebrating his career."
Miller was recently in town this week as he was introduced as part of the Class of '22 for the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. During his time back in Buffalo, Miller paid a visit to KeyBank Center with his family, where the team played a video on the videoboard of longtime play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret announcing the honor to the 41-year-old.
The No. 30 becomes the eighth number retired by the team, joining Gilbert Perreault (11), Rick Martin (7), Rene Robert (14), Tim Horton (2), Danny Gare (18), Pat LaFontaine (16) and Dominik Hasek (39). Jeanneret also had a banner raised to the rafters in his honor just this past season.
Miller also becomes the 43rd member of the Sabres Hall of Fame, and the first inductee of the Sabres Hall of Fame since Hasek back in March of 2014.
"I've always appreciated my experience here as a member of the community," said Miller in a team statement. "Coming here and playing hockey was a dream come true. Playing with a great NHL organization and building something with a great group of guys. But then to also feel at home in the city was important to me and to make myself a member of the community where I could give back in different ways.
"That was always important to me. A big part of my time here was interacting with people actually living life here, and not just coming to the rink and going away. I was happy that I was always involved and out and about and felt connected. It really was a great home when I was here."
The all-time winningest U.S.-born goaltender in NHL history called it a career at the conclusion of the 2020-21 season while with the Anaheim Ducks. Over the course of his career, Miller appeared in 794 games with the Sabres, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks and Ducks, registering a 390-289-87 record, a career 2.63 goals-against average, a career .914 save percentage and 44 shutouts.
In 540 career games with the Sabres, Miller finished as the franchise's all-time leader in games played, wins (240) and saves (14,847). He also finished second in team history behind Hasek with a .916 save percentage, and third with a career 2.58 goals-against average behind Hasek and Martin Biron.
Miller was a former fifth round pick (138th overall) of the Sabres back in the 1999 NHL Draft. He made his NHL debut with Buffalo on Nov. 19, 2002 in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils. It would be his next start on Nov. 22, 2002 where Miller earned his first win, a 5-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Perhaps Miller's finest season came in the 2009-10 campaign when he posted a 41-18-8 record in 69 games played with a career-best 2.22 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage. Those numbers led the Sabres back to the playoffs after missing two-straight seasons, and also earned him First-Team All-Star honors and the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's best goaltender of the year. Miller also finished the 2009-10 season fourth in voting for the Hart Trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player.
Also from that 2009-10 season saw one of the best international performances from a goaltender at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. Miller was the staple in net for the United States, helping the Americans reach the gold medal game at the Olympics. Unfortunately for Miller and Team USA, their gold medal hopes were dashed in overtime thanks to Sidney Crosby and Canada in a 3-2 loss. Miller would settle for a silver medal in Vancouver, but he was recognized as the tournament MVP.
No date has been set for Miller's jersey retirement and induction into the Sabres Hall of Fame. The 2022-23 regular season schedule is expected to be announced some time later this summer.
