One of the priorities for the Ducks brass going into the summer of 2017 was the search for a veteran netminder to backup No. 1 goalie John Gibson.
The (then) 24-year-old Gibson had certainly come into his own as an NHL goalie, having been named to the All-Star Game in 2016 while posting a 2.22 goals-against average and a career high six shutouts in 2016-17. But Gibson had shown a susceptibility to injury, costing him chunks of games at various points in his relatively young career. It hurt the Ducks the previous spring in a heated Western Conference Final series with rival Nashville. Gibson left Game 5 after stopping all 10 Predators shots in the first period, giving way to backup Jonathan Bernier, who gave up two goals in an eventual 3-1 loss. Gibson wasn't able to go in a must-win Game 6, and the usually reliable Bernier let in four goals on just 16 shots in a demoralizing 6-3 defeat that ended Anaheim's season.
As the Ducks shopped the free agent market for a veteran backup, they couldn't have done better than Ryan Miller. The 37-year-old Miller established himself as one of the best goalies of the past decade, despite a difficult past three seasons with a struggling Canucks team. His 358 wins were 19th in NHL history, and he had a stellar 2010, in which he won the Vezina Trophy with the Buffalo Sabres and a silver medal at the Olympics (where he was named tournament MVP).
Miller saw some action in the preseason, stopping 10 out of 11 shots in his debut against the Kings and said afterward, "I have to kind of let everybody know what's going on and kind of feel out where I fit in. These guys here have their rituals and their things and I'm certainly not going to get in the way."
Unfortunately for Miller, he fit in a little too well.
On a Ducks team riddled with early-season injuries, Miller battled through one of his own. A wrist ailment he aggravated during the preseason kept him on the sidelines until October 29 at Carolina. But he made his presence felt that night, saving 34 shots and winning in a shootout. "He saved our butt on numerous occasions," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said that night. "We told him not to accept being here as a backup. We want him to compete. That's where the competition between the two goaltenders is unique. But it's a benefit to us if we can have a 1-A and 1-B."
That set the tone for a very strong season for Miller, who went 12-6-6 with a 2.35 goals-against average and .928 save percentage that were both his best since that magical 2009-10 season. His four shutouts were the most since 2014-15, and February 19 at Vegas he had 20 saves to pair with Gibson on the Ducks' first combined shutout since 2002.
Miller only appeared in 28 games, however, partly because he missed most of that first month of the season and Gibson just happened to play more games (60) than he had his entire career.
"I've been a starter for a long time and you just see a lot over the years," Miller said. "Just because you come off the bench doesn't mean you're going to see too much that's all that different. Stay sharp, stay ready and have it in the back of your mind that you might go in. You don't want it at the forefront of your mind, you want to support the team and pay attention to the game."
Highlight
The best of Miller's bevy of highlight-reel saves is difficult to pinpoint, but a big stop late in the game at eventual Western Conference champion Vegas to secure that combined shutout is at or near the top of the list. With the Ducks clinging to a 2-0 lead with just 2 1/2 minutes left at T-Mobile Arena, Miller resisted Golden Knights winger Tomas Hyka right on the doorstep, snagging the puck with the left hand.
