The Buffalo Sabres announced on Friday that the team plans to retire former goaltender Ryan Miller’s No. 30 and induct Miller into the Sabres Hall of Fame. Miller’s number will be retired in a ceremony at KeyBank Center sometime during the 2022-23 season.
The official date of Miller’s number retirement ceremony and Hall of Fame induction will be revealed later this summer. Miller will become the eighth player to have his number retired by the Sabres and the 43rd player to be inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame.
“Coming here and playing hockey was a dream come true,” Miller said in a statement. “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.”
“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,” Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams added. “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 originally selected with the No. 138 pick in the 1999 NHL Draft by the Sabres. During his 11 seasons with the franchise, the star netminder set team records for games played by a goaltender (540), wins (284), and saves (14,847). In addition, Miller’s 28 shutouts only trail Dominik Hasek (55) for the most in team history.
The American-born goaltender accumulated a 284-186-57 record to go along with a 2.60 goals-against-average and a .916 save percentage. Miller’s best season came during the 2009-10 campaign when he won the Vezina Trophy for being the league’s top goalie. He posted a a 41-18-9 record, 2.22 goals-against-average, and a .929 save percentage.
In that very same season, Miller also was named the Tournament MVP of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver after leading Team USA to a silver medal. During the 2010 Olympics, he finished the tournament with a 5-1 record, a 1.35 goals-against-average, and a .946 save percentage. Miller stopped 36 shots in the gold medal game against Canada, which the United States lost 3-2 in overtime on Sidney Crosby’s game-winning goal.
Following the 2020-21 season, Miller announced his retirement from the sport. The former Sabres star finished his career with 391 wins, which is the most-ever for an American-born goalie. Miller also owns the 14th-most wins in NHL history, which is just two victories behind Hasek.
