Drew Miller
Encyclopedia
Andrew Miller is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

 winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...

 currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...

 of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

 (NHL).

Miller was drafted in the sixth round, 186th overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft
2003 NHL Entry Draft
The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on June 21, 2003.Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, only the third goalie in NHL history selected as the first overall draft choice...

 and made his NHL debut on April 19, 2007, playing with the Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...

 against the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....

. He is the younger brother of Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...

 goaltender Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller is a professional ice hockey goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres.Other people named Ryan Miller:*Ryan Miller , video game designer and author*Ryan Miller , lead singer and guitar player for the band Guster...

.

Early career

Miller played junior hockey for the now-defunct Capital Centre Pride of the North American Hockey League
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League...

 (NAHL) from 2001–2003, totaling 32 goals and 28 assists for 60 points in 102 games. Early in the 2002–03 season, he graduated to the United States Hockey League
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...

 (USHL).

At 17, Miller played 49 games for the River City Lancers (now known as the Omaha Lancers
Omaha Lancers
The Omaha Lancers are a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League .From 2002-2009, the Lancers' home ice was the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, across the Missouri River from Omaha. Until the 2001-2002 season, the Lancers played at...

) of the USHL in the 2002–03 season, posting 14 goals and 11 assists for 25 points. He scored nine points in 11 playoff games to help lead the Lancers to the USHL Finals, where they lost three games to one to the Lincoln Stars
Lincoln Stars
The Lincoln Stars are a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League .The Stars' home ice is the Ice Box, on the Nebraska State Fair grounds and adjacent to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln....

. Miller played with fellow NHLers Matt Carle
Matt Carle
Matthew Carle is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...

 and Paul Stastny
Paul Stastny
Paul Stastny is an American professional ice hockey center, an alternate captain for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League . Of Slovak lineage, Stastny is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Stastny, who played for the Avalanche's predecessor, the Quebec Nordiques...

 and was named to the USHL All-Star team.

Miller spent the next three years playing for the Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...

 of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey college athletic conference that operates mostly in Michigan and Ohio, although it also has members in Alaska and Indiana. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. It holds its championship...

 (CCHA). He scored his first collegiate goal on January 2, 2004, against the Northern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University
Northern Michigan University is a four-year college public university established in 1899 located in Marquette, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. With a population of nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, Northern Michigan University is the Upper Peninsula's largest...

 Wildcats. The winger improved his point totals in each of his three seasons at Michigan State, scoring 10, 33 and 43 points in 41, 40 and 44 games, respectively. In his last season with the Spartans, Miller was named the team's MVP and the CCHA's Best Defensive Forward. He was also named to the Association's All-Tournament Team after helping Michigan State capture the CCHA title.

Miller was drafted by the then Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the sixth round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft
2003 NHL Entry Draft
The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on June 21, 2003.Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, only the third goalie in NHL history selected as the first overall draft choice...

, 186th overall.

Minor pros

After leading the Spartans in both points and as captain in the 2005–06 season, Miller signed a two-year entry level contract with the Ducks on May 4, 2006. He joined Anaheim's AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...

 affiliate, the Portland Pirates
Portland Pirates
The Portland Pirates is a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. They play in the Cumberland County Civic Center in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the...

, during their second round series against the Hartford Wolf Pack
Hartford Wolf Pack
The Connecticut Whale is a professional ice hockey team based in Hartford, Connecticut. They play in the American Hockey League . They play their home games at the XL Center....

, playing in one game.

The next season, he suited up for 79 matches with the Pirates, scoring 16 goals and totaling 20 assists for 36 points to place third on the team.

NHL career

In 2007, Miller once again moved up to a higher league after completing the regular season with another team. On April 16, Miller was recalled from Portland by Anaheim. Three days later, he made his Ducks and NHL debut at the Honda Center, playing in what would be the final game of the Western Conference Quarterfinal series against the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....

.

Coach Randy Carlyle
Randy Carlyle
Randolph Robert Carlyle is a former ice hockey defenceman and formely the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks. He was raised in Azilda, just northwest of Sudbury, Ontario.-Career:...

 had placed the left winger on the Ducks' top line, alongside 2007 All-Stars Andy McDonald
Andy McDonald
Andy McDonald is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and winger, an alternate captain of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...

 and Teemu Selänne
Teemu Selänne
Teemu Ilmari Selänne nicknamed "The Finnish Flash" is a Finnish professional ice hockey winger, an alternate captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . An offensive player known for his skill and speed, Selanne has led the NHL in goal-scoring three times and has been named to...

, to fill in for the injured Chris Kunitz
Chris Kunitz
Christopher Kunitz is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger with the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League . He has previously played for the Atlanta Thrashers and Anaheim Ducks, the latter with whom he won a Stanley Cup in 2007...

. In Game One, Miller forced a turnover that Selanne and McDonald capitalized on for the Ducks' first goal of the series, and would go on to win his first Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...

 in just his first four games in the NHL. He would spend two more seasons in the Ducks organization before being traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...

 in the summer of 2009 for Russian winger Evgeni Artyukhin.

On November 10, 2009, Miller was put on waivers by the Lightning and was subsequently claimed by the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...

. He made his Red Wings debut on November 12 against the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...

, recording 11:33 minutes of ice time. He scored his first goal in a Detroit uniform on November 23 against the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...

. Originally brought into Detroit to replace injured players on a temporary basis, he effectively outplayed other young members of the Red Wings. He has since filled in comfortably playing a variety of roles. He finished the 2009–10 season with 10 goals, and 9 assists (zero points with the Lightning) in 80 games split between the Lightning and Red Wings.

During the summer of 2010 the Red Wings re-signed Miller to a one-year $650,000 contract.

During the 2010–11 season Miller played 68 games, scoring 10 goals, and adding 8 assists. He played the role of a grinder, spending time primarily on the third and fourth lines, while also contributing on the penalty kill. Most games Miller would play on a line with Justin Abdelkader
Justin Abdelkader
Justin Abdelkader is an American ice hockey forward currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings.-College career:On April 7, 2007 Abdelkader scored the game-winning goal in the 2007 NCAA Championship Game against Boston College, securing the NCAA Division 1 National Championship for Michigan State...

, Darren Helm
Darren Helm
Darren Helm is a Canadian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.- Junior career :...

, Patrick Eaves
Patrick Eaves
Patrick Campbell Eaves is a professional ice hockey forward, currently a member of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Born in Calgary and raised in the United States, Patrick holds Canadian and American citizenship and has represented the United States in international ice hockey...

 and/or veteran Kris Draper
Kris Draper
Kristopher Draper is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player. Draper is a four-time winner of the Stanley Cup, a Frank J. Selke Trophy winner and scored over 100 goals in the Red Wings uniform. Draper was a member of the famous Grind Line in Detroit, consisting of himself, Kirk Maltby...

. This would alter game to game depending on injuries, and or the matchups coach Mike Babcock
Mike Babcock
Michael "Mike" Babcock, Jr. is a Canadian professional ice hockey head coach of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League and former player. He serves as head coach of the Red Wings. He also served as the head coach of Team Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver...

 saw fit in that particular game.

Following his season, the Red Wings rewarded Miller's efforts by re-signing him to a two-year contract worth $1.675 million on July 1. Each year has an annual cap hit of $837,500.

Personal

Miller comes from a long line of hockey players, as he is the tenth member of his family to play the sport for Michigan State. His best-known relative is older brother and Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...

 goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...

 Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller
Ryan Miller is a professional ice hockey goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres.Other people named Ryan Miller:*Ryan Miller , video game designer and author*Ryan Miller , lead singer and guitar player for the band Guster...

. He is also the cousin of former NHLers Kip
Kip Miller
Kip Charles Miller is a retired American ice hockey forward. He last played for the American Hockey League Grand Rapids Griffins in 2006–07. He was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques as their 4th-round pick in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, 72nd overall.Miller played college hockey for the Michigan State...

, Kevin and Kelly Miller.

Miller has always been involved with the communities in which he plays, taking part in programs such as Teams for Toys, DARE
Drug Abuse Resistance Education
Drug Abuse Resistance Education, better known as DARE, is an international education program that seeks to prevent use of controlled drugs, membership in gangs, and violent behavior. D.A.R.E., which has expanded globally since its founding in 1983, is a demand-side drug control strategy of the U.S....

 and the Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....

. He even created the Spartan Buddy Program, which enabled MSU athletes to make regular visits to local pediatric hospital patients.

Career statistics

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...

Team League GP G
Goal (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to...

A
Assist (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal...

Pts
Point (ice hockey)
Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one...

PIM
Penalty (ice hockey)
A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,...

GP G A Pts PIM
2000–01 Capital Centre NAHL
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League...

37 4 3 7 22
2001–02 Capital Centre NAHL 54 18 16 34 56
2002–03 Capital Centre NAHL 14 9 9 18 12
2002–03 River City Lancers
Omaha Lancers
The Omaha Lancers are a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team playing in the West Division of the United States Hockey League .From 2002-2009, the Lancers' home ice was the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, across the Missouri River from Omaha. Until the 2001-2002 season, the Lancers played at...

USHL
United States Hockey League
The United States Hockey League is the top junior ice hockey league in the United States. The USHL has 16 member teams located in the Midwestern United States, consisting of players who are 20 years of age and younger...

49 14 11 25 26 11 5 4 9 6
2003–04 Michigan State
Michigan State Spartans
The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic team that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 25 varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the school colors are green and white...

CCHA
Central Collegiate Hockey Association
The Central Collegiate Hockey Association is a NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey college athletic conference that operates mostly in Michigan and Ohio, although it also has members in Alaska and Indiana. It participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. It holds its championship...

41 4 6 10 39
2004–05 Michigan State CCHA 40 17 16 33 20
2005–06 Michigan State CCHA 44 18 25 43 30
2005–06
2005–06 AHL season
The 2005–06 AHL season was the 70th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup, defeating the Milwaukee Admirals in the finals....

Portland Pirates
Portland Pirates
The Portland Pirates is a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. They play in the Cumberland County Civic Center in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the...

AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...

1 0 0 0 0
2006–07
2006–07 AHL season
The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals....

Portland Pirates AHL 79 16 20 36 51
2006–07 Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...

NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

3 0 0 0 2
2007–08
2007–08 AHL season
The 2007–08 AHL season is the 72nd season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Chicago Wolves won their second Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Final.-Team changes:...

Portland Pirates AHL 31 16 20 36 12 16 1 7 8 12
2007–08 Anaheim Ducks NHL 26 2 3 5 6
2008–09
2008–09 AHL season
The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:...

Iowa Chops AHL 53 23 15 38 10
2008–09
2008–09 NHL season
The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...

Anaheim Ducks NHL 27 4 6 10 17 13 2 1 3 2
2009–10
2009–10 NHL season
The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010...

Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...

NHL 14 0 0 0 2
2009–10 Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...

NHL 66 10 9 19 10 12 1 1 2 4
2010–11 Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...

NHL 67 10 8 18 13 9 1 1 2 4
CCHA totals 125 39 47 86 89
AHL totals 163 55 55 110 27 17 1 7 8 12
NHL totals 200 26 26 52 48 37 4 3 7 12

External links

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