Golden Knights sign Colin Miller to 4-year contract
Colin Miller led the Golden Knights’ defensemen in goals and points last season.
He now leads the group in salary, too.
Miller signed a four-year, $15.5 million contract Saturday, avoiding salary arbitration.
Miller’s $3.875 million annual average salary surpasses the cap hit of Brayden McNabb, who was set to be the team’s highest-paid defenseman at $2.5 million per season. The deal includes a modified no-trade clause for the final two seasons.
“Colin took big steps forward last season in all areas,” general manager George McPhee said in a statement. “He is a young mobile defenseman with a great shot who contributed greatly to our team’s success. We are excited for his continued development over the next four years.”
Miller, 25, finished the regular season with a career-high 41 points, including 10 goals, and 53 penalty minutes. He was third on the team with 17 power-play points (five goals, 12 assists) and quarterbacked the No. 2 unit with his hard right-hand shot.
Miller added three goals and four assists during the Knights’ run to the Stanley Cup Final. And he joined William Karlsson as one of two players who did not miss a game during the regular season or the playoffs.
Miller was at the end of a two-year, $2 million contract, and the restricted free agent filed for salary arbitration prior to Thursday’s deadline.
With Miller locked up through 2022, the Knights are projected to have $14.875 million remaining in salary cap space for next season, according to CapFriendly.com. Restricted free agents Karlsson, Tomas Nosek, William Carrier and Shea Theodore remain unsigned. Qualifying offers to restricted free agents expire July 15.
Karlsson and Nosek filed for salary arbitration, with the hearings scheduled to take place between July 20 and Aug. 4.
Miller was a fifth-round pick by Los Angeles in 2012. He was traded to Boston in 2015 and collected 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) in 103 games over two seasons with the Bruins before being selected in the expansion draft.
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Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.
Colin Miller
Position: Defenseman
Birthplace: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Height: 6-1
Weight: 196 lbs.
Age: 25
Draft: Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fifth round (151st overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft
Notes:
-Had a career-high 41 points (10 G, 31 A) through 82 games in 2017-18 regular season
-Appeared in all 20 games of 2017-18 Stanley Cup Playoffs, collecting seven points (3 G, 4 A)
-Played 103 games with Boston Bruins from 2015-2017 collecting 29 points (9 G, 20 A) before being selected by Vegas Golden Knights during the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft
