Sure, there was a coin flip. A new head coach officially took over and a pair of assistants decided to stay in East Lansing. A couple of recruits committed and a player transferred from Lake Superior State to MSU.
But the defining story of the MSU hockey program’s summer has yet to unfold: Will senior-to-be superstar goaltender Ryan Miller stay in college or go pro?
Nobody, including Miller, knows the answer to that question yet - and it could still be a while before anybody does.
“It’s still the same,” Miller said Monday night. “I hear a lot of speculation and I’m pretty cool with it right now, but I’m just enjoying the summer and waiting.”
Miller is waiting to hear from the Buffalo Sabres, who own his professional rights after taking him in the fifth round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He says he hasn’t talked to the Sabres management this summer - or even since he’s been drafted - but still is anticipating a contract offer from the team soon.
If the proposal is satisfactory, Miller could forego his final collegiate season and likely become the starting goalie for the Sabres’ top minor-league affiliate, the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League.
Buffalo general manager Darcy Regier has remained mostly mum on his plans for Miller, who turns 22 today. The Sabres have been reeling from financial troubles since owner John Rigas admitted this spring to shady business practices with cable giant Adelphia Communications, which he founded. Rigas has since left the Sabres and the franchise is temporarily being run by the NHL, similar to the Montreal Expos’ situation with Major League Baseball.
But Regier has the green light to continue hockey operations and last week, he signed restricted free agent goaltender Mika Noronen, 23, to a two-year deal. The Sabres also intend to re-sign restricted free agent goalie Martin Biron, 24, this summer, which seems to leave Miller out of the mix in Buffalo next season.
Still, the lure of minor league hockey - coupled with an attractive contract - could be enough for the East Lansing native Miller to leave his hometown university.
“I definitely need to learn about playing pro hockey,” Miller said. “It’s my decision and I’m going to make an informed one based on everything I know.
“(The Sabres) are getting things more in line now that they know where their money’s coming from. They’re going to start figuring things out and I think it’ll be kinda soon that they deal with me.”
Sabres spokesman Greg Huller said Tuesday he does not know what Regier plans to do with Miller, but “obviously, they have to do something by the end of the summer.” Regier was unavailable for comment.
If Miller doesn’t receive a suitable contract offer, he also could choose to sit out of college hockey for a year, thereby bumping up his signing cut-off date and putting pressure on the Sabres. If Miller plays his senior season at MSU, the Sabres don’t have to sign him until July 1, 2004. If he doesn’t play collegiately this season, Buffalo has to sign him by July 1, 2003 or lose him to free agency.
The scenario seems unlikely, although Miller didn’t rule it out Monday. “I’m aware of all my options,” he said.
Trying to wade through all of the hypothetical situations and uncertainties with Miller’s dilemma can be frustrating, especially for those closest to the Spartan program. MSU head coach Rick Comley, who took over the Spartans this off-season, has never coached Miller and doesn’t expect to this year, either.
“I think he’s closer to going than staying, but we’ll see,” Comley said while moving out of his Marquette house late last month. “He’s ready to go, mentally and physically, but he won’t go if the contract isn’t fair to him.
“As for Michigan State, we have to get people into positions to play on a post-Miller team.”
Miller was a workhorse for the Spartans last season, playing in 40 of the team’s 41 games. He finished with a 26-9-5 record, 1.77 goals against average, .936 saves percentage and eight shutouts last season. He is the NCAA’s all-time shutout leader with 26 in his three-year career.
Miller also won the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s outstanding player as a sophomore and is a two-time first-team West All-American.
If Miller were to leave MSU, the goaltending duties would fall on sophomore Matt Migliaccio and incoming freshman Justin Tobe next season. If Miller decides to stay, Tobe will play another year of junior hockey and join the Spartans for the 2003-04 season.
