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Colin Miller will be one of the NHL’s best defensemen in 2018-19

By Nick McAdam

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 7: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Colin Miller (6) upends Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny (6) in the first period during game five of The Stanley Cup Final. (Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 7: Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Colin Miller (6) upends Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny (6) in the first period during game five of The Stanley Cup Final. (Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post via Getty Images) /
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Colin Miller will likely go down as one of the NHL’s most underappreciated defenders from this past season. However, Miller’s blue-line heroics shall not go under the radar.

Some have to wonder whether the Vegas Golden Knights’ opening campaign can be replicated or not. Are the players really that talented? Can the chemistry hold for that much longer? Of course, all of these things can be speculated over the course of a long offseason where anything is possible.

One decision, however, from George McPhee will hopefully go without any doubts from the rest of the NHL. Recently, Colin Miller inked a four-year contract worth $3.875 million per season, according to Sportsnet.

This is a huge pay raise for Miller after spending a majority of his young career earning around the $1 million mark. It’s well deserved for the Ontario native, who surely is one of the best defenders in the NHL right now.

Gerrard Gallant did an absolutely brilliant job forming line combinations for his inaugural squad. The former Florida Panthers’ coach decided to put a ton of trust into Miller, who thus averaged around 20 minutes of ice time per game, especially in the postseason.

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 02: Colin Miller #6 of the Vegas Golden Knights arrives at the arena prior to Game Three of the Stanley Cup Final against the Washington Capitals during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena on June 2, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 02: Colin Miller #6 of the Vegas Golden Knights arrives at the arena prior to Game Three of the Stanley Cup Final against the Washington Capitals during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena on June 2, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images) /

It all payed off for the Golden Knights. Miller’s total of 10 goals and 31 assists blew the rest of Knights’ defensive core out of the water, while ranking 28th in terms of offensive production from a defensive player in the NHL.

This is just on the surface. A full 82-game season for the first time in Miller’s career has done wonders for his advanced stat total. The 25-year-old averaged a shot through percentage of 45.2 this past campaign, which hovers near the totals of P.K. Subban, Drew Doughty and Victor Hedman currently and in the past.

Miller’s possession metrics are even more promising. The Canadian’s zone start averages amassed to about 66 percent in the offensive zone, which obviously doubles the amount of times that his team has started in their own zone when he is one the ice.

Miller’s Corsi and Fenwick for percentages also double his against ratings; thus meaning more often than not, the Golden Knights are controlling the puck when he steps foot onto the frozen surface. The former Boston Bruin beats all of the Norris Trophy nominees in terms of possession metrics, especially Subban, who surprisingly went negative in the Corsi category.

This all came together in Vegas’ amazing power-play unit which featured Miller on the top pair. A 98.9 percent offensive zone rating for the defender means he’s been holding the puck in the zone while making sure that no play on the man advantage ends in the Knights’ own blue-line.

Miller’s incredible size and strength enabled him to be a complete powerhouse in the defensive end as well. Miller totaled a career-high 64 blocked shots combined with two hits per fixture and 35 takeaways.

To say that Gallant’s decision to give his young defenseman more minutes was rewarding might be an understatement. Miller completely exhaled a massive amount of potential this past season. This all came at the right time as he heads towards his prime years of hockey.

Miller is guaranteed more minutes in the future with Vegas which encapsulates that perfect scenario for him, while the Knights grasp the results on the ice.

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Miller is competing with some of the NHL’s elite players in his position. To not give him a ton of credit, especially considering that he was on an expansion side is just unfair. The product of the OHL has the chance of turning into one of the league’s best defenders — if his stats haven’t proven that he’s already halfway there.

Overall, the big picture revolves around the fact that Vegas locked a player in Miller that can stabilize an important position for the future. Consistency is key, for both the club and the player. Both Miller and Vegas have to remain competitive in order for the rest of the hockey world to not mark their first year as a fluke.

With the amount of promise that resides in Sin City, however, a fluke is one of the last things that Miller can turn out to be.

Share your thoughts on Miller’s assessment in the comments section below.

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