Ryan Miller gave Colorado Avalanche fans a brief surprise when he showed up in an Avs jersey for an alumni game at Magness Arena on Aug. 23.
The former Buffalo Sabres star was in goal for the Avalanche alumni team in its matchup against the DU Hockey alumni, a game that featured plenty of familiar names. Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Milan Hejduk were among the legends on the ice.
Miller’s appearance in Colorado colors stood out immediately on social media, especially since he never played for the Avalanche during his NHL career. The 2010 Vezina Trophy winner spent 18 seasons in the league, including 11 with the Sabres, four with the Anaheim Ducks, three with the Vancouver Canucks and a brief 19-game run with the St. Louis Blues.
He later cleared up the mystery himself with a post that explained exactly how the deal came together.
“Hi hockey Twitter! Actually a really good explanation for wearing an Avs jersey… @hoosierjm26 and I go way back to Michigan State hockey days and he offered me golf with cool people if I came out and helped out the alumni.
I can be bought. Just make it interesting.”
Elsewhere around Colorado, the focus is still on getting Cale Makar locked up long term. The defenseman is in the final season of his six-year, $54 million contract and can sign an extension now, though nothing has been completed yet.
Avalanche GM Joe Sakic sounded relaxed about the situation and made it clear he expects a deal to get done before the season opens.
“Really? I haven’t noticed that,” Sakic cracked when asked about recent big contracts and how they might affect the market for Makar.
“Like I said, I’m not worried about it. I don’t think Cale’s worried about it.
Dialogue’s been great and when there’s an agreement, we’ll gladly announce it. Hopefully something will be done before the start of training camp.”
He added:
“Everything’s great. Not worried about that. There’s been coaches, there’s been players that have gone into their last year of their deals before, and there’s going to be in the future, so not really concerned about it.”
Makar is coming off a season in which he put up 79 points, scoring 20 goals and adding 59 assists in 75 games.
In Other News...
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Now the situation has picked up again, with Winnipeg acknowledging the backdrop and Buffalo still viewed as a team with real interest. Hellebuycks contract, his recent performance and the kind of assets it would take to pry him loose all remain part of the equation, which is why this one still feels very much alive even without a resolution yet. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Face A Ryan Johnson Decision That Could Cost Them Value
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The problem for the Sabres is the math on the blue line. Buffalo has a crowded defense corps, and Johnson is so far down the pecking order that a real NHL opportunity does not appear close unless the team runs into injuries or another unexpected opening. For a club trying to manage every asset carefully, that leaves a tricky decision about how long to keep waiting on a player whose value may be clearer to other teams than it is in Buffalo right now. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Wing Search Could Center On One Very Real Trade Target
The Sabres are still working through how to replace the offense they lost with the departures of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, and the search has naturally turned toward players who can help both immediately and in the room. Jarmo Kekalainen has been looking for additions who can supply scoring punch while also bringing some leadership, which makes this next stretch of the season worth watching as the trade market starts to take shape.
One name that fits the profile is Rickard Rakell, a 33-year-old winger with the Penguins who finished with 24 goals last season. Buffalo has been tied to the idea of adding a proven offensive piece, but Rakells situation is still tied to Pittsburghs own trajectory, since his value to the Penguins changes depending on where they stand in the playoff race. [Read more 🡒]