With the clock ticking until Monday's NHL trade deadline, Ryan Miller reportedly wants to stay put.
The 38-year-old goaltender told Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray that "he'd like to remain with the Ducks" past Monday, the Orange County Register's Elliott Teaford reported Saturday night, citing an NHL source. The Ducks have no plans to trade the veteran netminder, according to Teaford, after Murray presented the option to Miller "as a professional courtesy."
John Hoven of Mayor's Manor reported last week that the Sharks and the Ducks were working on a trade for Miller, but Teaford and Bay Area News Group's Paul Gackle reported a deal was not happening. San Jose ranked 30th in save percentage (.892) and 31st in 5-on-5 save percentage (.898) entering Sunday, while Miller was fifth in all situations (.929, minimum 10 starts) and 5-on-5 (.944, minimum 500 minutes), respectively.
A deal that bolsters the Sharks in net still seems unlikely. Despite Martin Jones and Aaron Dell struggling this season, Sharks general manager Doug Wilson told NHL.com last month that the team believed in its goaltenders, and Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported last week that San Jose is looking for a winger ahead of Monday's noon PT trade deadline.
As for Miller, the Sharks might not have seen the last of him this season or beyond. San Jose wraps up its season series with Anaheim on March 22, and Teaford reported Miller would "like to [continue] his career and possibly re-sign with the Ducks" for one more year, despite the team's slide toward the bottom of the Western Conference. Miller first signed a two-year contract with Anaheim in 2017, in part to be closer to his wife, actress Noreen DeWulf.
In other words, the only teal Miller will wear probably will be the Ducks' "Mighty" throwbacks.
