With Carey Price being more and more doubtful for the All-Star game, the league will likely have to find him a replacement. The Eastern Conference's backups being Tim Thomas and Henrik Lundqvist, who gets the third spot? If we look at the statistics of the other candidates, Ryan Miller emerges as the likely replacement for Price. Ranked second in the conference with 19 wins, Miller has already four wins in January. His GAA and his save percentage are both ranked sixth in the conference. Miller is also leading the conference with three shutouts (tied with three other goalies).
Miller, 28, has bounced back from a subpar season in 2007-08 where he only won 36 wins despite playing an enormous 76 games. The Sabres even missed the playoffs for the first-time in three years.
The Sabres currently ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference only one point ahead of the Panthers who are currently ranked ninth. Without Miller's strong play this season, the Sabres would be way out of contention.
Other candidates include Scott Clemmensen and Craig Anderson (1A goalies who replaced respectively Martin Brodeur and Tomas Vokoun).
