Aaron Miller (ice hockey)

Miller was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, one of six children to Bill and Joan Miller. As a youth, he played in the 1984 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Buffalo. After playing forward at St. Francis High School and the Niagara Scenics in Buffalo, 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 four 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". ==Professional career==

Quebec Nordiques/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' fifth-round draft pick, used to select Bill Lindsay) in the 1991 NHL entry draft in exchange for Joe Cirella. 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 rookies. It also marked the Miller's Stanley Cup playoffs, where he registered 1 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 seven playoff games. Miller had his most productive season in 1998–99. After scoring a career-high 18 points in 76 games, Miller participated in 19 playoff games with a career-best five assists and six points. He would only play in 53 games the next season, but did suit up for every playoff game, scoring 1 goal and 1 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 sent to the Los Angeles Kings alongside Adam Deadmarsh, a player later to be named (Jared Aulin, who would be traded on March 22, 2001) and Colorado's first-round draft picks in the 2001 (Dave Steckel) and 2003 (Brian Boyle) Entry Drafts in exchange 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 Miller would finish the 2000–01 season with the Kings. In the final 13 games of the regular season, he had five assists, finishing with a career-best 14 assists and matching his career high of 18 points in one season, then contributed an assist in 13 playoff games. The Kings upset the Detroit Red Wings in six games during the first round. The Kings then played the Avalanche, Miller's former team, who prevailed in a hard-fought seven game series and went on to win the Stanley Cup for the second time. 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. 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 ultimately missed 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 professional hockey. ==International play==

During his playing career Miller represented the United States in several international tournaments. His first appearance was at the 1991 World Junior Championships. He scored a goal and an assist in eight games. Miller was also chosen to play in the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. In six games, Miller went pointless as the Americans won the silver medal, and experience he referred to as "best part of [his] career." ==Post-retirement==

Miller resides in South Burlington, Vermont and is the owner of 11 Buffalo Wild Wings franchises with his business partner in Burlington, Vermont; Concord, Manchester, and Nashua, New Hampshire; Southington, Waterbury, and Windsor, Connecticut; Chicopee, Massachusetts; and Plattsburgh, New York. He also provided color commentary for select Vermont Catamounts men's ice hockey radio broadcasts from 2009 to 2010 on AM 620, WVMT. In 2015 he was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. He and his wife Kristy had three children: Grace, Ava, and Sullivan. ==Career statistics==

Regular season and playoffs International • All stats taken from NHL.com ==Awards==

NCAA Los Angeles Kings team awards ==References==