Joe Miller

May 2022 – Miller was a complementary piece for the USHL champions in 2020-21 but took on a more prominent role for the club this past season, even sporting an ‘A’ as an alternate captain. His production ballooned to 23 goals and 45 assists in just 62 games and he finished fourth in team scoring. Given a chance to play higher in the lineup and with more skilled linemates, Miller was able to showcase his raw offensive talents. He is still extremely undersized so the next big test will come when he begins his collegiate career at Harvard in 2022-23 and is forced to deal with more physically mature competition. Nick Richard

August 2021 – Miller completed his rookie season in the USHL with the Clarke Cup champion Chicago Steel after being selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft. Through 40 regular season contests, he tallied eight goals and 10 assists while playing a middle-six role.

Miller is an undersized forward with good vision and passing ability. He is shifty in traffic areas and can shake defenders with quick weight transfers before firing a pass into space. He does well to scan the offensive zone and often knows where he wants to go with the puck before he gets it, showing good one-touch passing ability. Miller can also be deceptive with the puck on his stick, holding defenders with his eyes and manipulating passing lanes by changing the angle of his blade before snapping a quick pass to a teammate. His skating is a strength as he utilizes his quick feet to generate speed with crossovers while displaying the agility to weave around checks carrying the puck in transition. He has good hands and can finish in close but isn’t much of a threat from distance at this point. He has a quick release but his shot isn’t overly heavy due to his overall lack of strength, but that should improve as he matures. Miller will return to Chicago for the 2021-22 season and he is committed to the University of Minnesota where he will join Maple Leafs 2021 second-round pick Matthew Knies in 2022-23. Nick Richard