Miller was traded by the Stars to the Devils in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2025.
NEWARK, N.J. -- Colin Miller was at a wedding when he received news that the Dallas Stars traded him to the New Jersey Devils.
"I actually didn't have too much service on my phone. I received the news from Dallas and then spoke with New Jersey as well, and that's kind of how it went down," he said. "It always seems to be these things happen when you least expect it."
On July 13, 2022, Miller signed a two-year contract with the Stars worth $3,700,000 with an annual average value (AAV) of $1,850,000.
"Colin is a puck-moving defenseman that will add experience and a right shot to our defensive core," Stars general manager Jim Nill said at the time. "We are excited to have him under contract with our organization for the next two years."
GM Nill addressed the media on July 1 after trading Miller and signing free agents Matt Duchene, Craig Smith, and Sam Steel.
"To make a lot of this work, unfortunately, we had to trade Colin Miller," he said. "That was tough, but it's part of the business, and it created enough cap room to allow us to (sign these players)."
Miller told Devils reporters he was "definitely surprised" by the trade, but now that the shock has worn off, he is excited about the opportunity with the Devils. Regarding where he fits on New Jersey's blue line, he is looking to help the team however he can and take on whatever role is needed.
The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native, appeared in 79 games for the Stars last season, finishing with 21 points (six goals, 15 assists). During the regular season, he had 70 blocked shots and 108 hits.
Miller has moved around throughout his eight-year career playing for the Boston Bruins, Vegas Golden Knights, Buffalo Sabres, and Stars. Over his career, he has played with Erik Haula and Curtis Lazar. When speaking with reporters, Miller shared that both forwards are good buddies of his, and all their wives are friends.
Dougie Hamilton, Jonas Siegenthaler, and John Marino will be the team's top defensemen, with Luke Hughes most likely taking Ryan Graves' spot alongside Marino. That leaves a rotation of Miller, Kevin Bahl, Brendan Smith, and possibly Simon Nemec for the third and final pair.
Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald provided his coaching staff options and insurance in case of injuries on defense. Miller's veteran presence perfectly balances the young and upcoming talent and helps absorb the blow of losing Graves and Damon Severson.