The Winnipeg Jets announced today that they’ve signed defenseman Colin Miller. Miller signed his new two-year contract worth $1.5 million annually.
The 31-year-old right-shot defenseman was in the fifth round at 151st overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings.
He played three years for the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL before making the leap professionally with the Machester Monarchs of the American Hockey League (AHL). Miller got his first run in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Boston Bruins in the 2015-16 season where he played 42 games. Miller’s 16 points (3G, 13A) and a plus-minus of plus-16 were enough to keep him out of the AHL for good.
The Vegas Golden Knights then picked up Miller in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft, giving him the “Original Misfits” title. Vegas later traded Miller to Buffalo in 2019 where he spent a few seasons before joining Dallas in the 2022-23. Dallas later traded him to New Jersey in the 2023 Off-Season.
Colin Miller got his foot in the door with the Winnipeg Jets after they acquired him for depth at the defensive position. While Miller wasn’t used much playing five regular season games and one playoff game for the Jets, Miller provided a calming presence at defence for the Jets.
Miller’s new contract positions him as the second or third-pair defenseman on the Jets’ right side. This is a spectacular value-for-dollar move by the Winnipeg Jets regardless of where he plays in the lineup. It is to be expected that he will play more games for the Jets in 2024-25 pending any immediate changes.
The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario-born defenseman has amassed 512 career NHL games where he’s posted 166 points (39G, 127A) and accumulated 324 penalty minutes. Miller posted one assist in his five-game regular season run after being traded to Winnipeg. He played one game and posted one assist in the Jets’ short playoff run this past season.
