Aaron Miller (ice hockey)

Lore & Background

Miller was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, one of six children. 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, he earned a scholarship to the University of Vermont, where he graduated with a degree in business. He was drafted 88th overall by the New York Rangers in 1989 but chose to complete his college education before turning professional.

Miller made his NHL debut on January 15, 1994, with the Quebec Nordiques. When the franchise moved to Denver in 1995, he became a member of the Colorado Avalanche. His first full NHL season was 1996–97, during which he scored his first NHL goal and led all rookies in plus-minus (+15). He played in the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time that year. In 2001, he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in a multi-player deal that sent Rob Blake to Colorado. Miller later signed with the Vancouver Canucks as a free agent in 2007 and retired after the 2007–08 season.

Internationally, Miller represented the United States at the 1991 World Junior Championships, the 2002 Winter Olympics (silver medal), the 2004 World Championships (bronze medal), the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and the 2005 World Championships. He was named to the 2006 Olympic team but withdrew due to back problems.

Reader's Guide

Aaron Miller's career is notable for its longevity and consistency as a stay-at-home defenseman. He played 14 NHL seasons across three organizations, with his most productive years coming with the Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings. Though he never won the Stanley Cup—he was not on the Avalanche's 1996 championship roster due to insufficient games played—he contributed to deep playoff runs, including a seven-game series against his former team in 2001. Miller's international highlight was winning a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, an experience he called the best part of his career. After retiring, he became a successful businessman, owning multiple Buffalo Wild Wings franchises, and was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. His career exemplifies the path of a college-educated player who balanced professional hockey with academic achievement.

Did You Know?

• Miller was drafted by the New York Rangers in 1989 but never played for them, being traded to the Quebec Nordiques in 1991.
• He scored his first NHL goal on October 11, 1996, against the Chicago Blackhawks.
• Miller went 193 games without a goal before scoring the game-winner against Martin Brodeur on December 18, 2007.
• He owns 11 Buffalo Wild Wings franchises across several states.