Ryan Miller a Mark Messier Award Finalist

World, meet Ryan Miller.

This season has been a coming out party of sorts for the Buffalo Sabres goaltender, what with his MVP-winning performance for Team USA at the Winter Olympics, top-ranking GAA and save percentage (third and second in the league, respectively, at the moment), and ability to make some pretty unnatural, that-should-have-been-a-goal saves to keep his team in the game. It’s not that Buffalonians needed the reminder that their goalie was one of the best in the league, but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have the rest of the league’s fans clamoring over him.

Now, Miller’s got another chance to prove to the league what an asset he is to his team, both on and off the ice. While the Sabres are first and foremost focused on clinching the division title — it has eluded them for several games, but a Buffalo win or Ottawa loss tonight can secure that spot — Miller received some good news today: he is among the five finalists for the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award, given to the player who, according to the NHL website, is “a superior team leader who leads  by positive example through on-ice performance, motivation of team members and a dedication to community activities and charitable causes.”

Oh, right, and the winner, while fans get the chance to vote, is ultimately decided by Mark Messier.

Miller’s up against some pretty stiff competition for the award. The other four contenders are Nicklas Lidstrom, Jamie Langenbrunner, Alex Ovechkin and Mike Richards.

You can make an argument for all the finalists in terms of on-ice performance, but Miller’s work with the Steadfast Foundation, a cancer-centric charity he and his father founded, certainly sets him apart and is right in line with the “dedication to community activities and charitable causes” part of the award.

And if you need proof of his motivator/team leader status, look no further than Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff, who told The Buffalo News‘s John Vogl, ”Ryan has grown into becoming a leader of our team,” Ruff said. “I think first and foremost before you can lead off the ice, you’ve got to be a leader on the ice. His example with his play and how his game has grown over the years is a great example for our players.”

It’s almost a guarantee fans will stuff the ballot box for their favorite player during the voting period, but Miller has a strong chance for sure, especially because his votes could be bolstered by those that don’t have a favorite player in the running, but choose to vote for him because of his Olympics performance.