They warned Ryan Miller about Vancouver. About how hard it was to be the Canucks goalie, and the scrutiny that awaited him there.
It was that classic line of the Canadian hockey snob: “How could an American-born goalie who had spent his entire career in upstate New York possibly be able to comprehend what he was getting into when he took over the crease in Canada’s most neurotic hockey town?”
“What’s funny is, Buffalo is a lot like this — smaller city, but sports obsessed,” Miller said. “I used to go to the grocery store, and it was either somebody telling me how to control my rebounds, or a guy telling me, ‘For God’s sake, put your stick on the ice,’ Or a little old lady running up to me to give me a big hug.
“If you’re in a place where they really pay attention, you’re going to have that. I spent my whole career in Buffalo, where every single person knew your face, your name, what your family was all about. They knew everything about you,” he said. “So, coming in here it wasn’t as big a departure as people were making it seem. I knew how it was going to be.”
When it comes to goalies, the Vancouver market is as neurotic as it gets. So much so that after years of stressing over which of Roberto Luongo and Cory Schneider should play hockey, karma saw both of them depart like Aesop’s Fable, The Dog and Its Reflection.
Of course, Vancouver isn’t the only Canadian market with a goalie issue. Remember the spring and summer of 2010, when Montrealers debated which restricted free agent their Habs should sign long-term: Jaroslav Halak or Carey Price? They actually argued that once. For real.
Or Toronto, where James Reimer can put together a run of three good starts, and the fan base anoints. Then, he falls back to earth as predictably as an infield fly.
But while Canadians may be goalie-focused, Vancouver had gone beyond that during the Luongo-Schneider years. The town became irrationally obsessed with the topic, convinced that Luongo — a Team Canada quality goaltender — somehow wasn’t good enough.
The Canucks became the only team in the NHL where the backup goalie was off-limits to the media on a game day, with the media feeling compelled to ask him how he felt about not getting the start, and quiz him about any lasting hurt feelings.
“Initially, people want [controversy] to be there. That was part of taking the job. I knew that was going to be in store,” Miller said of his arrival in this market 14 months ago. “The thing I tried to put in perspective was, people talked about how this was a goalie graveyard, but Cory Schneider and Roberto Luongo seemed to do pretty well with themselves. I don’t think they’re dead.
“They shared a Jennings Trophy,” he said. “You go to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, perpetual playoff performers…”
Even Eddie Lack made his way into the equation last season, as fans and some media mistook his warm personality, handsome Swedish jaw line and easy sense of humour as qualities that should make him a No. 1 in the NHL. Lack had an .886 saves percentage in four playoff games last spring, and has struggled as Cam Ward’s backup in Carolina this season after being dealt. It appears he may simply be that well-liked, media friendly backup, the likes of which have populated NHL dressing rooms for decades.
Canucks General manager Jim Benning was wise to stick with Miller, deal Lack, and enter the 2015-16 season with absolutely no noise surrounding the guardian position for the first time in ages.
“When there’s controversy it can always pull you apart a little bit,” said head coach Willie Desjardins. “Players have always been pretty good about it, but it’s still there. It can be difficult.
“It helps in some ways to remove it. We’re hoping that [Jacob] Markstrom creates a controversy down the road. But right now, I certainly do enjoy not having it.”
Miller, meanwhile, is just taking care of his business. His .915 saves percentage is merely OK, and in eight of his 14 starts he has allowed just two goals in regulation time. In these days of the 3-2 game, that equals giving your team ample chance to win.
If Buffalo cashes in a Grade A chance in the dying seconds — for which Miller brazenly chastised his team’s defensive play — or the wrong team scores in overtime, well, Canucks fans can freak out if they want.
He’s not about to.
“I’m going out to try my best every night. I’m not going to be perfect; I’m not going to always come through, every single time. But I’m going to compete, and when I compete, things will happen,” Miller said. “I just want them to respect that about me, and whatever happens after that, they can talk about it, and I’m not going to worry about it.”
