Ryan Miller had an exceptional college hockey career at Michigan State University from 1999 to 2002. Although he was a Hobey Baker Award winner in 2001, he was also a top-ten finalist for the award in 2002. In his final collegiate season (2001-02), Miller posted a 26-9-5 record with a 1.77 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage in 40 games. He also added eight more shutouts to his NCAA career shutout record, finishing his college career with 26 shutouts. Miller was named the CCHA Goaltender of the Year for the third consecutive season, and his stellar play helped the Spartans earn a number one national ranking.

After college, Miller embarked on a long and distinguished professional career. He was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 1999 and played for them for 11 seasons, becoming a fan favorite and the franchise’s all-time leader in career wins for a goaltender. In 2010, he won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goaltender and was named the MVP of the Winter Olympics while leading Team USA to a silver medal. Miller also played for the St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, and Anaheim Ducks before retiring in 2021 as the winningest American-born goaltender in NHL history.