He just completed his first season as a member of the National Hockey League’s newest team, and now he gets to stay there for another four years!
The National Hockey League’s Vegas Golden Knights have announced on Saturday that they have signed former Soo Greyhounds captain Colin Miller to a four year contract extension worth $15.5 million.
Miller, a native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, led all Vegas Golden Knights defencemen in scoring during the 2017-2018 regular season with 10 goals and 41 points in 82 games.
He also led the team in penalty minutes with 53.
Miller, who played one season with the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Soo Thunderbirds during 2009-2010, scored 7 times and set up 23 others in 46 regular season games. Since cracking the Soo Greyhounds roster as a free agent back in the 2010-2011 season and spending three years with his hometown team, Miller has accomplished quite a lot!
After being selected in the 5th round (151st overall) by the Los Angeles Kings at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Miller returned to the Hounds as an overage for the 2012-2013 season and became the first Sooite to be named captain of his hometown team since Tyler Kennedy (2005-2006).
During his final season with the Hounds in 2012-2013, Miller scored 20 goals and finished tied for the league lead in goals among defencemen with teammate Ryan Sproul.
That year, Miller also became the first Soo Greyhound to win the Mickey Renaud Captain’s Trophy.
Following his junior career in his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, Miller went on to play two seasons with the American Hockey League’s Manchester Monarchs from 2013-2015.
But when you look back at what Miller did three seasons ago, you can say the 2014-2015 season was probably his best year in the American Hockey League!
In the 2014-2015 season, Miller led all Monarchs defencemen in scoring with 19 goals and 52 points in 70 regular season games.
That year, his 19 goals and 52 points set new team records for most goals and points by a defenceman in a single season.
During the 2015 AHL All-Star skills competition, which was held in Utica, New York in January of 2015, Miller was named the fastest skater, finishing a lap in 13.805 seconds and also set a new record during the hardest shot event, shooting the puck at 105.5 milers per hour.
And last but not least in Manchester, Miller helped lead the Monarchs to their first ever Calder Cup title.
His entrance to the NHL, then came during the 2015 offseason.
Back on June 26th, 2015, Miller was acquired by the Boston Bruins in a trade in that sent Milan Lucic to the Los Angeles Kings.
Miller began his NHL career in Boston while spending time with in Providence during the 2015-2016 season.
After spending two seasons with the Boston Bruins from 2015-2017, Miller was selected by the Vegas Golden Knights 18th overall during the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, which was held at the 2017 NHL Awards in Las Vegas.
Miller came close to winning his first ever Stanley Cup this past season, but now the Golden Knights can breathe a sigh of relief after locking up their top defenceman for the next four seasons.
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