Maybe even more impressive is the fact that he never seems to complain.
The 6-foot-2 Miller was sent back to Iowa at the trade deadline in favor of 6-4 checker Troy Bodie, as head coach Randy Carlyle felt the need for more size at the forward position. But versatility won out on March 19, when Miller was recalled for the fourth time in four months.
Most notably, his short-handed minutes have increased since his recall, a necessary role after penalty-kill specialists Travis Moen and Samuel Pahlsson were shipped out at the deadline. Miller’s short-handed time on ice has increased to 1:39 a game, sixth on the team.
In Iowa, he was seeing more power-play time and still leads the team in goals scored (with 23 in 53 games). The Ducks’ power play, ranked seventh in the NHL, is a little harder to crack, and Miller has yet to prove he can score with the same proficiency in the NHL (four goals in 42 career games).
To that end, Carlyle reiterated one of his favorite phrases, saying “I just want him to be Drew Miller.”
Which means a lot.