Andrew "Drew" Miller (born February 17, 1984 in
Dover, New Jersey, U.S.) is a professional ice
hockey winger who is currently playing for the
Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League. Miller
made his NHL debut on April 19, 2007, against the
Minnesota Wild. Spectacularly, his second NHL
appearance, on May 28, 2007, turned out to be Game 1
of the Ducks' Stanley Cup Final series against the
Ottawa Senators.
Miller played junior hockey for the now-defunct
Capital Centre Pride of the North American Hockey
League from 2001-03, totalling 32+28=60 points in
102 games. Early in the 2002-03 season, he graduated
to the United States Hockey League.
At 17, Miller played 49 games for the River City
Lancers (now known as the Omaha Lancers) of the USHL
in the 2002-03 season, posting 14+11=25 points. He
scored nine points in 11 playoff games to help lead
the Lancers to the USHL Finals, where they lost
three games to one to the Lincoln Stars. Miller
played with fellow NHLers Matt Carle and Paul
Stastny and was named to the USHL All-Star team.
Miller spent the next three years playing for the
Michigan State Spartans of the CCHA. He scored his
first collegiate goal on January 2, 2004 against the
Northern Michigan University Wildcats. The winger
improved his point totals in each of his three
seasons at Michigan State, scoring 10, 33, and 43
points in 41, 40 and 44 games, respectively. In his
last season with the Spartans, Miller was named the
team's MVP and the CCHA's Best Defensive Forward. He
was also named to the Association's All-Tournament
Team after helping Michigan State capture the CCHA
title.
Miller was drafted by the then Mighty Ducks of
Anaheim in the sixth round of the 2003 NHL Entry
Draft, 186th overall.
In 2007, Miller once again moved up to a higher
league after completing the regular season with
another team. On April 16, Miller was recalled from
Portland by Anaheim. Three days later, he made his
Ducks and NHL debut at the Honda Center, playing in
what would be the final game of the Western
Conference Quarterfinal series against Minnesota.
Coach Randy Carlyle had placed the left winger on
the Ducks' top line - alongside 2007 All-Stars Andy
McDonald and Teemu Selänne - to fill in for the
injured Chris Kunitz. In Game 1, Miller forced a
turnover that Selanne and McDonald capitalized on
for the Ducks' first goal of the series, and would
go on to win his first Stanley Cup with the Anaheim
Ducks in just his first 4 games in the NHL.
Miller comes from a long line of hockey players, as
he is the tenth member of his family to play the
sport for Michigan State. His best-known relative is
older brother and Buffalo Sabres goalie, Ryan
Miller. He is also the cousin of former Mighty Duck
Kip Miller, as well as former NHLers Kevin and Kelly
Miller.
Miller has always been involved with the communities
in which he plays, taking part in programs such as
Teams for Toys, DARE and the Special Olympics. He
even created the Spartan Buddy Program, which
enabled MSU athletes to make regular visits to local
pediatric hospital patients.
