Joe Miller (ice hockey)

Joseph Anthony Miller (October 6, 1898 – August 1, 1963) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and a Grey Cup champion Canadian football player. Miller was a goaltender for the New York Americans, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Quakers between 1927 and 1931. Miller was a member of the 1928 New York Rangers Stanley Cup championship team.

Joe Miller
Born(1898-10-06)October 6, 1898
Morrisburg, Ontario, Canada
DiedAugust 1, 1963(1963-08-01) (aged 64)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
PositionGoaltender
CaughtLeft
Played forNHL
New York Americans
New York Rangers
Pittsburgh Pirates
Philadelphia Quakers
AHA
St. Paul Saints
CPHL
Niagara Falls Cataracts
Playing career1916–1932
Football career
Career information
Position(s)Halfback
Career history
As player
1924-26Ottawa Senators
Career highlights and awards
2× Grey Cup champion, 1925, 1926

Hockey

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Joe Miller played for the New York Americans in 1928 when he was sent to the minors after being waived by the Americans. By an interesting set of circumstances his Stanley Cup opportunity arose. His season with Niagara Falls over, Miller was at home in Ottawa when New York Rangers goaltender Lorne Chabot was injured in the second game of the Stanley Cup Finals. Rangers coach and General manager Lester Patrick asked the Americans and the Maroons for permission to use Miller for the remainder of the series. The Americans agreed but Montreal Maroons head coach Eddie Gerard forced Lester Patrick to play goal for the rest of that game. Miller was the designated backup for all NHL teams at the time, and he was loaned to the Rangers. Miller played three games for the Rangers and won the 1928 Stanley Cup for the New York.[1]

Later he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Philadelphia Quakers. He wore uniform number 1.

Football

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Miller was a skilled multi-sport athlete and was an accomplished elite football player. Suiting up for three seasons with the Ottawa Senators (an interim name for the Ottawa Rough Riders) he was a star player and part of two Grey Cup championship teams.[2] In 1925 he was integral to his team's success, but missed the Grey Cup due to his hockey commitment in St.Paul.[3] He was the star of the 14th Grey Cup in 1926, scoring three vital late games "rouges" (single points) and staving off two critical potential turnovers.[4]

Stanley Cup and Grey Cup legacy

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Miller's amazing two sport championship achievement makes him one of only three people to have their names engraved on both of Canada's premier sport trophies, the Stanley Cup and the Grey Cup, as players.[5] The others are Lionel Conacher and Carl Voss.

In 1967 Joseph ‘Joe’ A. Miller was inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame.[6]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPWLTMinGASOGAAGPWLTMinGASOGAA
1916–17Pittsburgh Athletic AssociationExhib40373024476351.54
1917–18Renfrew Creamery KingsExhib74304321602.22
1918–19Ottawa New EdinburghsOCHL4310240521.25
1919–20Ottawa New EdinburghsOCHL74204001011.50
1920–21Ottawa New EdinburghsOCHL114616752502.22
1921–22Ottawa New EdinburghsOCHL134727803022.31
1922–23Ottawa New EdinburghsOCHL18106212004322.155131340811.41
1923–24Ottawa New EdinburghsOCHL129307201811.502020120502.50
1924–25Fort Pitt HornetsUSAHA22175010203911.724130220902.45
1925–26St. Paul SaintsCHL3822807061.84
1926–27St. Paul SaintsAHA3013125185054101.75
1927–28New York AmericansNHL28816417217752.68
1927–28Niagara Falls CataractsCan-Pro137803022.31
1927–28New York RangersNHL3210180311.00
1928–29Pittsburgh PiratesNHL449278278080111.73
1929–30Pittsburgh PiratesNHL435353263017904.08
1930–31Philadelphia QuakersNHL1521118214703.43
1929–30New York AmericansNHL100170100.86
1931–32Syracuse StarsIHL20511412605132.43
NHL totals1302489167952383162.893210180311.00

References

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  • Zweig, Eric (2012). Stanley Cup: 120 years of hockey supremacy. Firefly Books. ISBN 978-1-77085-104-7.
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