Aaron Miller

Aaron M. Miller (born August 11, 1971 in Buffalo, New York) is a retired American professional defenseman. Over the course of his fourteen year career in the National Hockey League, Miller played for four teams: the Quebec Nordiques and when they relocated, the Colorado Avalanche, the Los Angeles Kings and the Vancouver Canucks. In 2002, he was selected as a member of United States hockey team at the 2002 Olympics, where he won a silver medal. Prior to making his professional debut, Miller earned a degree in business from the University of Vermont.

Early life
Miller was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. Miller was given a scholarship to the University of Vermont. Prior to attending the university, he was drafted 88th overall by the New York Rangers in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. Miller was named team captain at the start of the 1992-93 season. He scored 4 goals and 13 assists in 30 games over the year, and was named to both the ECAC First All-Star Team and the NCAA East Second All-American Team. After four years at Vermont, he graduated with a degree in business. He finished his university career with 11 goals and 62 points in 122 games, later being named to Vermont's All-Time Men’s Hockey Team, "The ECAC Years."

Quebec Nordiques and Colorado Avalanche
Though he was drafted by the Rangers in 1989, Miller opted to go to university and complete his degree. It was while he was at university that Miller was traded by the Rangers. On January 17, 1991, he was sent to the Quebec Nordiques along with the Rangers 5th round draft choice (Bill Lindsay) in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft for Joe Cirella.

After graduating from university, Miller made his professional debut in 1993 for the Nordiques minor league affiliate, the Cornwall Aces of the American Hockey League. On January 15, 1994 he made his NHL debut in Quebec against the Washington Capitals. Miller's first professional season ended with one NHL game, and 64 AHL games, where he scored 4 goals and 10 assists. The next season he appeared in 9 games for the Nordiques, earning 3 assists. Miller also played 76 games for the Aces, finishing with totals of 4 goals and 22 points.

On June 21, 1995, the Quebec Nordiques transferred to Denver and became the Colorado Avalanche. Miller joined the team in Colorado, and split the 1995–96 season between Colorado and Cornwall. In 62 games with Cornwall, he had 4 goals and 23 assists, while going scorless in 5 games with the Avalanche. Because he didn't appear in enough games, Miller was not considered as part of the Stanley Cup winning Avalanche team.

The 1996–97 season was Miller's first full season in the NHL. In a game against the Chicago Blackhawks on October 11, 1996, Miller scored his first NHL goal. He finished with 5 goals and 17 points while appearing in 56 games for the Avalanche, and his plus-minus was a +15, the best in the NHL for rookie players. It also marked the NHL playoff debut for Miller, who had a goal and 2 assists in 17 playoff games. The following season, he had 4 points in 55 games for the Avalanche, while going pointless in 7 playoff games. Miller had a career season in 1998–99. After scoring a career-high 18 points in 76 games, Miller participated in 19 playoff games, with a career best 5 assists and 6 points. He would only play in 53 games the next season, but did suit up for every playoff game, scoring a goal and an assist in 17 games.

After 56 games with the Avalanche during the 2000–01 season, where he had 13 points, Miller was traded for the second time in his career. On February 21, 2001 Miller was traded to the Los Angeles Kings by the Colorado Avalanche with Adam Deadmarsh, a player later to be named (Jared Aulin, who would be traded on March 22, 2001) and Colorado's 1st round choices in the 2001 (Dave Steckel) and 2003 (Brian Boyle) Entry Drafts for Rob Blake and Steven Reinprecht. Miller was not originally meant to be traded, but the Kings insisted he be part of the deal.

Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks
Miller would finish the 2000–01 season with the Kings. In the final 13 games of the regular season, he had 5 assists, finishing with a career-best 14 assists and matching his career high of 18 points in one season. He contributed an assist in 13 playoff games as the Kings played his former team the Avalanche, who defeated Los Angeles as they went on to win the Stanley Cup for the second time.

In his first full season with the Kings, Miller played in 74 games for the team, scoring five goals and adding twelve assists during the 2001–02 season. During the playoffs, he went pointless while playing in all seven of the Kings' games. Abdominal surgery and a broken foot limited Miller to 49 games with the Kings the next season, recording one goal and five assists for six points.

In a game against the Atlanta Thrashers on December 10, 2003, Miller injured his neck. It would lead him to miss most of the 2003–04 season, appearing in 35 games and scoring one goal and two assists. The 2004–05 NHL lockout cancelled the 2004–05 season and unlike several other players, Miller did not play in a different league. He returned to play for the 2005–06 season and earned eight assists in 56 games. For the first time in his career, Miller played in all 82 games during the 2006–07 season, again scoring eight assists.

As an unrestricted free agent, Miller signed a one year contract for $1.5 million with the Vancouver Canucks on July 9, 2007, ending his time with the Kings. On December 18, 2007, Miller scored a goal against Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils, his first goal in 193 games, a span lasting over four years. The goal, the game-winner, marked the longest stretch of Miller's career between scoring goals. In a game on March 6 against the Nashville Predators, Miller injured his shoulder and ended up missing the remainder of the season. Following the conclusion of the 2007–08 season, in which he had eight assists in addition to the goal, Miller retired from hockey.

International play
Aaron Miller has appeared for the United States in several international tournaments. His first appearance was at the 1991 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He scored a goal and an assist in 8 games. Miller was also chosen to play in the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. In 6 games, Miller went pointless as the Americans won the silver medal, and experience he referred to as "best part of [his] career." Two years later, he joined the bronze medal-winning American team at the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships. He contributed an assist in 9 games. Later that year he participated in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and appeared in 5 games. Miller made a return to the World Championships in 2005, playing 7 games and scoring 2 assists. He was named to the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, but pulled out due to back problems.