Jay Miller (ice hockey)


Jay Miller is an American former ice hockey player. Raised in Natick, Massachusetts, Miller played university hockey with the University of New Hampshire Wildcats of the NCAA. He was selected by the Quebec Nordiques in the fourth round, 66th overall in the 1980 NHL entry draft. Miller never got a chance to show his skills with the Quebec Nordiques, spending a few seasons with a handful of American and International Hockey League teams. In 1985, the 6'2" left winger signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins and made the team that year as their enforcer. In the 1985-86 season he played in 46 games and collected 178 penalty minutes. During his stint with the Boston Bruins, Miller was known for his many fights with John Kordic.
His role continued to expand with the Boston Bruins, playing in 78 games during the 1987-88 regular season and racking up 304 penalty minutes - both career highs. That year in the playoffs, Miller was a regular on the Bruins' squad playing in 12 games and picking up 124 minutes in penalties. In January 1989 he was traded from Boston Bruins to the Los Angeles Kings for future considerations. Miller played four more seasons with the LA Kings, in the role of enforcer on a team that included Wayne Gretzky. He retired from professional hockey in 1992, having played 446 career NHL regular season games with 1723 penalty minutes.
Miller had a son in 1990, who is also named Jay, who plays football at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Jay also has a daughter named Brooke who played college hockey on defense for the Holy Cross Crusaders. Jay has another daughter named Taylor who plays basketball as a forward for Saint Michael's College in Burlington, Vermont.
Miller and his wife Paula Miller operate the Courtyard restaurant in Cataumet, Massachusetts.