Brad Miller (ice hockey)

Brad Miller (born July 23, 1969) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 82 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators, and Calgary Flames between 1988 and 1993. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1988 to 2000, was spent in the minor leagues.

Playing career
Miller played major junior hockey with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He played with the Pats from 1985 to 1989 as a defenceman. He scored 29 goals and registered 133 points in 233 games in the WHL.

Miller was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the second round, 22nd overall, in the 1987 NHL entry draft. He joined the Sabres' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rochester Americans, during the 1987–88 season. The next season he split between the Sabres, Americans and Pats. Miller made his NHL debut during the 1988–89 season in a 4–2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 19, 1988. He played seven games with the Sabres, going scoreless. The 1989–90 season saw Miller spend the majority in the AHL with the Americans, making only one appearance with Buffalo on March 3, 1990 in a 3–3 tie with the Quebec Nordiques. Miller once again split the 1990–91 season between the Americans and the Sabres. In the 1991–92 season Miller made the Sabres out of training camp and played in 42 games, registering his first NHL point on October 16, 1991 assisting on a goal by Dave Snuggerud in a 5–1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. Miller scored his first NHL goal on November 29 against Mike Richter of the New York Rangers in a 5–4 loss. However, Miller was sent back to the AHL in February 1992 after playing in 42 games, scoring the one goal and five points.

Miller was left unprotected by the Sabres in the 1992 NHL expansion draft and was selected by the Ottawa Senators. Miller made his Senators debut on October 12, 1992 in a 6–3 loss to the Boston Bruins. Miller spent some time on the left wing with the Senators but after Ottawa signed defenceman Gord Dineen, Miller was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the New Haven Senators, in January 1993. He finished with no points in eleven games with Ottawa and one goal and ten points in 41 games for New Haven. On February 26, 1993, Miller was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a ninth-round pick in the 1993 NHL entry draft. The Maple Leafs immediately assigned him to their AHL affiliate, the St. John's Maple Leafs. and finished the season there.

Prior to the 1993 training camp, Miller was traded by the Maple Leafs to the Calgary Flames on September 3, 1993 along with winger Jeff Perry for winger Todd Gillingham and defenceman Paul Holden. Miller made the Flames team out of training camp for the 1993–94 season and made his Calgary debut on October 10, 1993 in a 5–1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks. Miller registered his first point as a Flame in the game, assisting on Paul Ranheim's third period goal. He played his final game in the NHL by accident on November 15, 1993 against the Winnipeg Jets. The Flames intended to dress defenceman Kevin Wortman for the game, however, the coach of the Jets, John Paddock, noticed that Wortman's name was not on the game card, but Miller's was. Wortman was forced from the game for the error, and Miller played in the Flames' 7–2 victory. Miller was scratched for the next game against the Dallas Stars on November 21 before being sent on a two-week conditioning stint to the Flames' AHL affiliate, the Saint John Flames on November 25. However, Miller never played another game in the NHL. At the end of the season, Miller became an unrestricted free agent.

For the 1994–95 season Miller signed with the expansion Minnesota Moose of the International Hockey League (IHL). He returned to the Moose for the 1995–96 season but was traded to the Atlanta Knights for future considerations on January 23, 1996. Miller suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out of the lineup from February into March. He also played a single game for the Utah Grizzlies that season.

Miller spent the 1996–97 season with the Quebec Rafales of the IHL. He was traded to the San Antonio Dragons along with defenceman David Barrozino for centre Michel Mongeau on August 21, 1997. He also played for the Utah Grizzlies again that season. For the 1998–99 season Miller played with the Las Vegas Thunder, where he was also named captain. He was fined by the league on December 29 for punching a player from the Minnesota Moose while on the bench. Miller played his final season with the Utah Grizzlies, signing with the team on September 18, 1999.

Personal life
After retiring from hockey, Miller joined Emcon Services, a road maintenance company in Alberta, Canada. He is married with two children, a son and daughter. His son, Braden, played major junior hockey with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL.