Although there was never much doubt, we can now officially say that Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller will represent the United States in the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Jimmy Howard and Jonathan Quick have also made the squad and, as Miller pointed out to Sabres.com, there’s still a good amount of time left before Team USA has to decide who their starting goaltender will be. However, given Howard and Quick’s lukewarm and injury filled 2013-14 campaigns compared to Miller’s stunning performance in the 2010 Games, the Sabres netminder has to be seen as the heavy favorite.
It will be different this time around though as he’ll have to go from playing in an NHL-sized rink to an Olympic one. He’s going to try watching tapes to prepare, but he won’t actually get much of an opportunity to try out the Sochi ice before it’s time to play.
“It’s going to be quite the adjustment to go over there and have maybe one or two practices maybe if that and have to execute,” Miller said. “I’ll have to mentally prepare and do the work in your mind first. I’ll try and squeeze some time in if I can get on the Olympic sheet [in Buffalo]. Maybe I’ll get the keys to the building, sneak in, see what I can do.”
Although that will be an added challenge he’ll have to deal with this time around, he’s obviously looking forward to the games. It’s an opportunity to go to a part of the world he’s never seen before and meet up with athletes he might not otherwise have much of an opportunity to seen.
It’s also a chance for him to deal with some unfinished business after he came tantalizingly close to the gold medal in 2010.