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Buffalo columnist unloads on Ryan Miller, wants him traded

Ryan Miller

Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller (30) sits on the bench during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011. The Penguins won 8-3. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

AP

The problems the Sabres have been having this season after spending so much money this summer are making everyone cranky, including columnist Jerry Sullivan from The Buffalo News.

Sullivan has had it with the Sabres losing ways and wants to see things change drastically. He wants to see GM Darcy Regier fired, coach Lindy Ruff fired, and trades to be made all over the place. Most of his frustrated vitriol, however, was saved for Ryan Miller.

Sullivan says that owner Terry Pegula’s harsh words for his team’s goaltending were pointed at Miller and says that Miller’s poor performance this season is due in part to something much more personal. He also says Miller’s mind might be elsewhere because his wife is in California.

Yikes.

Piggybacking off of Bucky Gleason’s assertion that Miller trade talks happened with the Anaheim Ducks for Bobby Ryan is a daring move and one that only helps feed the fire for talk that Miller might actually want to be out of Buffalo. Sullivan sticks to his point, however, saying that there’s no longer any reason to consider Miller untouchable and that dealing him before his value falls off further would hurt the team.

Getting Miller figured out serves the Sabres better than trading him when his value is at its lowest. Besides, repeating the mistake the Sabres made when they traded Dominik Hasek for Slava Kozlov back in 2001 doesn’t sound like a recipe for championships to happen in the first place.