Miller is the best U.S.-born goaltender in the NHL today, an ascendancy that took fire this season.  Many around the league would have told you last summer, that Miller is one of the best, but he's vaulted ahead of his U.S. cohorts this season.  Nonetheless, he’s been left off of Peter Laviolette's Team USA Olympic team. 

Team USA’s goalie trio of ROBERT ESCHE, JOHN GRAHAME and RICK DiPIETRO* are clearly Miller's inferiors this season. 

Miller is saying the right things, even though it was Esche who took the loss for Philly in Buffalo Thursday.

"It feels good for the fans to show their support," Miller said. "But I think they were trying to get Eschey, too. You know, playing both sides. It was flattering, but I'm still supporting our boys when we go over there."

The coach is saying the right things.

"I think he wants to prove that he could have been that guy," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "It's only human nature to show, when that guy on the other end is one of them, that 'I want to be better than him.' There's nothing wrong with that. It's motivation for Ryan that maybe next time around he will be that guy."

Everyone's being very diplomatic, but Miller's exclusion from the U.S. team is a snub. 

*Numbers:

ROBERT ESCHE 22GP/13W-6L/3.07 .893

JOHN GRAHAME 36GP/19W-15/2.67GAA; .899SV%

RICK DiPIETRO 40GP/17W-16L/3.46GAA; .890SV%

MIKE LECLERC AND BRIAN BOUCHER TO CALGARY FOR SON OF SAUVE

Trade: LW/RW Mike LeClerc and G Brian Boucher to Calgary for G Phillipe Sauve.

Mike LeClerc (35GP/9-12-21) repeated a trend in Phoenix that he started in Anaheim.  LeClerc started strong in Phoenix, then got injured, missed eighteen games and struggled to find his touch. 

After this week’s trade to Calgary he’s a Flame, and looking pretty good on a line Friday night with like-minded forward Darren McCarty.  Both are excellent playoff guys, known for scoring key goals and bringing tenacity to the postseason (McCarty has three Cups, LeClerc a Finals appearance).  McCarty especially can often go for stretches without scoring, but both he and LeClerc can backcheck, they don’t shy from the abuse in front of the opposition’s net, they kill penalties and mix it up when necessary.  LeClerc exits Phoenix after a frustrating midseason, but his opportunity couldn’t be better for the stretch run, joining a club that’s a legitimate contender. 

Goalie PHILLIPE SAUVE wasn’t the backup that Darryl Sutter was looking for, so he goes to Phoenix.  BRIAN BOUCHER tries to resurrect his career as MIKKA KIPRUSOFF’s backup.

MORE ‘YOTES - NAGY: THAT'S GOTTA HURT

The injury bug is the latest problem for the Coyotes.  Struggling to stay above .500, the Coyotes have lost winger LADISLAV NAGY (51GP/15-41-56PTS) for the remainder of the season due to a meniscus tear. 

The club's leading scorer this season, the Coyotes went into a serious funk the last time he missed the end of the season, which was 2003-04, when he missed the final 27 games. It will be everything they can do to avoid a late swoon this season. 

The Coyotes traded Keith Tkachuk to the St. Louis Blues for Ladislav Nagy, Michal Handzus and Jeff Taffe and a 1st round selection (Ben Eager) in 2001.

THE NUMBERS: How valuable is Nagy? When Nagy left the 'Yotes lineup after 55 games in 2003-04, the club had 53 points.  They managed only 15 points in their last 27 games, finishing with 68.

OWEN NOLAN RETURNS?

Is this really as good a deal as some clubs might think?  Would the Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks and Ottawa Senators really be better off with his late-season addition, as has been rumored?  Might it be better for the Sens, for example, to look toward their own bench, and in Binghamton, perhaps, for an extra push at the end of the year? 

HERE, THERE, THERE AND BACK TO HERE

Chicago Blackhawks goalie CRAIG ANDERSON experienced a weird and rough ride over the past few weeks.

Anderson had been claimed off waivers from the Blackhawks by the Boston Bruins back on January 19th. He subsequently was claimed by St. Louis off waivers from Boston on January 30th before coming back to the Blackhawks Friday. He did not appear in a game for either Boston or St. Louis.

Now, with Nik Khabibulin nursing a knee injury, Anderson returns to Chicago.  Hopefully, he didn't sell his house.  He returned to the Windy City before the next round of monthly bills came due!

ASSEMBLAGE OF OLD PARTS DEPT: TORONTO

Final thought: The TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS are a museum piece, of sorts, I've concluded.  How long until the club wakes up and figures out that the team will live or die at the draft table?  Most of the Leafs’ players were developed elsewhere. 

The simple fact that the Leafs can afford to be a club with a loose pocketbook is because they’re in one of the most storied cities in the game’s history, with a rabid fan base that won’t go away.  This time it’s ERIC LINDROS, last time it was JOE NIEUWENDYK.  But it’s a temptation the club should resist, that of always looking for the quick, and often aging, fix. 

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PHOTO OF ARENA BY MIKE DUGAN
PHOTO OF JASON ARNOTT COURTESY DALLAS STARS HOCKEY CLUB

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