Aaron Miller Aaron M . Miller ( born August 11 , 1971 in Buffalo , New York ) is a retired American professional defenseman . Over the course of his fourteen year career in the National Hockey League , Miller played for four teams : the Quebec Nordiques and when they relocated , the Colorado Avalanche , the Los Angeles Kings and the Vancouver Canucks . In 2002 , he was selected as a member of United States hockey team at the 2002 Olympics , where he won a silver medal . Prior to making his professional debut , Miller earned a degree in business from the University of Vermont . Early life . Miller was born and raised in Buffalo , New York . Miller was given a scholarship to the University of Vermont . Prior to attending the university , he was drafted 88th overall by the New York Rangers in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft . Miller was named team captain at the start of the 1992 - 93 season . He scored 4 goals and 13 assists in 30 games over the year , and was named to both the ECAC First All - Star Team and the NCAA East Second All - American Team . After four years at Vermont , he graduated with a degree in business . He finished his university career with 11 goals and 62 points in 122 games , later being named to Vermont ' s All - Time Men ’ s Hockey Team , " The ECAC Years . " Professional career . Quebec Nordiques and Colorado Avalanche . Though he was drafted by the Rangers in 1989 , Miller opted to go to university and complete his degree . It was while he was at university that Miller was traded by the Rangers . On January 17 , 1991 , he was sent to the Quebec Nordiques along with the Rangers 5th round draft choice ( Bill Lindsay ) in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft for Joe Cirella . After graduating from university , Miller made his professional debut in 1993 for the Nordiques minor league affiliate , the Cornwall Aces of the American Hockey League . On January 15 , 1994 he made his NHL debut in Quebec against the Washington Capitals . Miller ' s first professional season ended with one NHL game , and 64 AHL games , where he scored 4 goals and 10 assists . The next season he appeared in 9 games for the Nordiques , earning 3 assists . Miller also played 76 games for the Aces , finishing with totals of 4 goals and 22 points . On June 21 , 1995 , the Quebec Nordiques transferred to Denver and became the Colorado Avalanche . Miller joined the team in Colorado , and split the 1995 – 96 season between Colorado and Cornwall . In 62 games with Cornwall , he had 4 goals and 23 assists , while going scorless in 5 games with the Avalanche . Because he didn ' t appear in enough games , Miller was not considered as part of the Stanley Cup winning Avalanche team . The 1996 – 97 season was Miller ' s first full season in the NHL . In a game against the Chicago Blackhawks on October 11 , 1996 , Miller scored his first NHL goal . He finished with 5 goals and 17 points while appearing in 56 games for the Avalanche , and his plus - minus was a + 15 , the best in the NHL for rookie players . It also marked the NHL playoff debut for Miller , who had a goal and 2 assists in 17 playoff games . The following season , he had 4 points in 55 games for the Avalanche , while going pointless in 7 playoff games . Miller had a career season in 1998 – 99 . After scoring a career - high 18 points in 76 games , Miller participated in 19 playoff games , with a career best 5 assists and 6 points . He would only play in 53 games the next season , but did suit up for every playoff game , scoring a goal and an assist in 17 games . After 56 games with the Avalanche during the 2000 – 01 season , where he had 13 points , Miller was traded for the second time in his career . On February 21 , 2001 Miller was traded to the Los Angeles Kings by the Colorado Avalanche with Adam Deadmarsh , a player later to be named ( Jared Aulin , who would be traded on March 22 , 2001 ) and Colorado ' s 1st round choices in the 2001 ( Dave Steckel ) and 2003 ( Brian Boyle ) Entry Drafts for Rob Blake and Steven Reinprecht . Miller was not originally meant to be traded , but the Kings insisted he be part of the deal . Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks . Miller would finish the 2000 – 01 season with the Kings . In the final 13 games of the regular season , he had 5 assists , finishing with a career - best 14 assists and matching his career high of 18 points in one season . He contributed an assist in 13 playoff games as the Kings played his former team the Avalanche , who defeated Los Angeles as they went on to win the Stanley Cup for the second time . In his first full season with the Kings , Miller played in 74 games for the team , scoring five goals and adding twelve assists during the 2001 – 02 season . During the playoffs , he went pointless while playing in all seven of the Kings ' games . Abdominal surgery and a broken foot limited Miller to 49 games with the Kings the next season , recording one goal and five assists for six points . In a game against the Atlanta Thrashers on December 10 , 2003 , Miller injured his neck . It would lead him to miss most of the 2003 – 04 season , appearing in 35 games and scoring one goal and two assists . The 2004 – 05 NHL lockout cancelled the 2004 – 05 season and unlike several other players , Miller did not play in a different league . He returned to play for the 2005 – 06 season and earned eight assists in 56 games . For the first time in his career , Miller played in all 82 games during the 2006 – 07 season , again scoring eight assists . As an unrestricted free agent , Miller signed a one year contract for $ 1 . 5 million with the Vancouver Canucks on July 9 , 2007 , ending his time with the Kings . On December 18 , 2007 , Miller scored a goal against Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils , his first goal in 193 games , a span lasting over four years . The goal , the game - winner , marked the longest stretch of Miller ' s career between scoring goals . In a game on March 6 against the Nashville Predators , Miller injured his shoulder and ended up missing the remainder of the season . Following the conclusion of the 2007 – 08 season , in which he had eight assists in addition to the goal , Miller retired from hockey . International play . Aaron Miller has appeared for the United States in several international tournaments . His first appearance was at the 1991 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships . He scored a goal and an assist in 8 games . Miller was also chosen to play in the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City . In 6 games , Miller went pointless as the Americans won the silver medal , and experience he referred to as " best part of [ his ] career . " Two years later , he joined the bronze medal - winning American team at the 2004 Men ' s World Ice Hockey Championships . He contributed an assist in 9 games . Later that year he participated in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey , and appeared in 5 games . Miller made a return to the World Championships in 2005 , playing 7 games and scoring 2 assists . He was named to the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin , but pulled out due to back problems .