NHL free agency: Anaheim Ducks sign Ryan Miller

After initial rumors of their interest, the Anaheim Ducks have signed goaltender Ryan Miller.

The Anaheim Ducks have a capable starting goaltender in John Gibson, and at 24 years old (on July 14) he looks like a long-term answer between the pipes. But a lower body injury in the playoffs his past season exposed Jonathan Bernier as an inadequate backup, and a few days ago, the Ducks were rumored to be interested in free agent goaltender Ryan Miller.

Miller has spent the last three seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, where he started 54 games (18-29-6 record) with a 2.80 GAA, three shutouts and a .914 save percentage last season. Over his three seasons with the Canucks, he started 150 games with 64 wins, a .914 save percentage, 10 shutouts and a 2.69 goals against average. The soon-to-be 37-year-old is now far removed from his best days as one of the NHL’s best goalies with the Buffalo Sabres, including taking home the Vezina Trophy in 2010. But he clearly has something left in the tank.

Miller would be an upgrade to Anaheim’s goalie depth, in name and game. So on the first day of free agency, the Ducks have reportedly pulled the trigger on signing him.

Miller’s wife is an actress, so southern California and/or Anaheim looks like a good fit for him to make his year-round home as his career winds down. The Ducks also carry some expectations to contend for and win a Stanley Cup in the next couple years thanks to a veteran-laden roster, and Miller did not fit with a possible rebuild in Vancouver.

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Full-time starting duty is not the best use of Miller at this stage of his career. He clearly faded late last season, taking a loss in each of his final seven games. If the Ducks can use him to simply spell Gibson 20-25 times next season, they may have one the best goaltender situations in the league.