| Hunter Miska | |||
|---|---|---|---|
_by_Sandro_Halank%25E2%2580%2593112.jpg) Miska with theStraubing Tigers in 2022 | |||
| Born | (1995-07-07)July 7, 1995 (age 29) Stacy, Minnesota, U.S. | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 174 lb (79 kg; 12 st 6 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Catches | Left | ||
| AHL team Former teams | Bridgeport Islanders Arizona Coyotes Colorado Avalanche Straubing Tigers Dynamo Moscow | ||
| NHL draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 2017–present | ||
Hunter Miska (born July 7, 1995) is an American professionalice hockey goaltender who is currently playing withBridgeport Islanders in theAmerican Hockey League (AHL). He has formerly played in theNational Hockey League (NHL) with theArizona Coyotes andColorado Avalanche.
Undrafted, Miska played junior hockey in theUnited States Hockey League andBritish Columbia Hockey League before embarking on collegiate hockey at theUniversity of Minnesota at Duluth in theNational Collegiate Hockey Conference.[1]
In his freshman year with the Bulldogs in the2016–17 season, Miska posted a 27–5–5 record with a .920 save percentage and a 2.20 goals against average with five shutouts. He helped lead the Bulldogs to the Frozen Four Championship game before falling 3–2 to theUniversity of Denver. Miska was named as a finalist for the Mike Richter award, given annually to the goaltender voted to be the most outstanding in Division I NCAA hockey during the regular season.[2]
Following an impressive debut season, Miska left Duluth to turn professional in signing a two-year, entry-level contract with theArizona Coyotes on April 15, 2017.[3] After attending his first training camp with the Coyotes, Miska was assigned to AHL affiliate, theTucson Roadrunners, for the duration of the2017–18 season.[4]
In the2018–19 season, Miska began the season continuing his tenure in the AHL with the Roadrunners. On November 6, 2018, Miska received his first recall to the NHL by the Coyotes, providing cover for the injuredAntti Raanta. He made his NHL debut with the Coyotes in relief ofDarcy Kuemper in a game against theDetroit Red Wings on November 13, 2018.[5] On November 23, Miska was returned to the Roadrunners.[6] Miska was used as an emergency recall for the Coyotes; however, he was shortly returned again to the AHL on November 30, 2018. Remaining with Tucson for the remainder of the season, Miska split duties between the pipes withAdin Hill, collecting just 10 wins in 25 games.
Having concluded his entry-level contract and as an impending restricted free agent, Miska was not tendered a qualifying offer to remain with the Coyotes, and was released to be a free agent on June 25, 2019.[7] On July 12, 2019, Miska agreed to a one-year AHL contract with the Colorado Eagles, affiliate to theColorado Avalanche.[8] He began the2019–20 season with the Eagles, before he was briefly assigned to ECHL affiliate, theUtah Grizzlies for 3 games. Upon his return to the AHL, with injury to fellow goaltenderAntoine Bibeau, Miska remained with the Eagles posting 11 wins and tied fourth among all AHL goaltenders in save percentage through 19 games, before signing a one-year NHL contract for the remainder of the season with the Avalanche on February 10, 2020.[9]
Having recorded his best season statistics in the AHL in his first year with the Eagles, Miska was re-signed by the Avalanche to a two-year, two-way contract extension on October 20, 2020.[10] With an injury to fellow Avalanche goaltenderPavel Francouz, Miska remained on the opening night roster for the pandemic shortened2020–21 season. Serving as the backup, on January 21, 2021, Miska made his first career NHL start; he made 23 saves in a 4–2 loss to theLos Angeles Kings.[11] On February 26, Miska recorded his first career NHL win in a 3–2 victory over the Coyotes.[12] Unable to solidify his role through 5 appearances, Miska was returned to the AHL after he was relieved from the net in a 8–4 victory over theAnaheim Ducks on March 16, 2021.[13]
In the final season of his contract with the Avalanche in2021–22, Miska was unable to replicate his earlier success with the Eagles, however collected 10 wins through 17 games and featured in 2 regular season contests with the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL.
As a free agent after three seasons within the Avalanche organization, Miska agreed to sign his first European contract by committing to a one-year deal with German club,Straubing Tigers of theDeutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), on July 9, 2022.[14]
After two successful seasons with Straubing, Miska left the DEL as a free agent and secured a one-year contract with prominent Russian club,HC Dynamo Moscow of theKontinental Hockey League (KHL), on July 23, 2024.[15] In the2024–25 season, Miska made 14 apperances with Dynamo and secured 5 wins before leaving the club through the mid-point of the season. In returning to North America as a free agent, Miska was signed to a AHL for the remainder of the season with the Bridgeport Islanders, the primary affiliate to theNew York Islanders, on January 12, 2025.[16]
Miska is a cousin of professional soccer playerKhyah Harper.[17]
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | OT | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 2009–10 | North Branch High | USHS | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3.85 | .886 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 8.50 | .866 | ||
| 2010–11 | North Branch High | USHS | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4.50 | .895 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 7.00 | .889 | ||
| 2011–12 | U.S. National Development Team | USHL | 25 | 10 | 13 | 0 | 1,305 | 78 | 0 | 3.59 | .854 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 119 | 12 | 0 | 6.06 | .824 | ||
| 2012–13 | U.S. National Development Team | USHL | 13 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 745 | 38 | 0 | 3.06 | .881 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Penticton Vees | BCHL | 34 | 19 | 12 | 2 | 1,988 | 74 | 2 | 2.23 | .916 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 284 | 16 | 0 | 3.38 | .866 | ||
| 2014–15 | Penticton Vees | BCHL | 46 | 34 | 9 | 3 | 2,775 | 87 | 5 | 1.88 | .931 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 1,365 | 52 | 2 | 2.29 | .923 | ||
| 2015–16 | Dubuque Fighting Saints | USHL | 46 | 32 | 13 | 1 | 2,761 | 113 | 1 | 2.46 | .913 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 750 | 28 | 1 | 2.24 | .921 | ||
| 2016–17 | U. of Minnesota-Duluth | NCHC | 39 | 27 | 5 | 5 | 2,321 | 85 | 5 | 2.20 | .920 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Tucson Roadrunners | AHL | 36 | 22 | 9 | 0 | 1,941 | 85 | 1 | 2.63 | .901 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Tucson Roadrunners | AHL | 25 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 1,307 | 67 | 0 | 3.08 | .895 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 3.33 | .889 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Utah Grizzlies | ECHL | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 186 | 5 | 0 | 1.62 | .947 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Colorado Eagles | AHL | 26 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 1,522 | 63 | 2 | 2.48 | .924 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 260 | 18 | 0 | 4.16 | .838 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Colorado Eagles | AHL | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 537 | 26 | 0 | 2.91 | .909 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Colorado Eagles | AHL | 17 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 829 | 42 | 1 | 3.04 | .889 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Utah Grizzlies | ECHL | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 120 | 7 | 0 | 3.51 | .875 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Straubing Tigers | DEL | 31 | 16 | 14 | 0 | 1793 | 87 | 0 | 2.91 | .893 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 415 | 15 | 1 | 2.17 | .915 | ||
| 2023–24 | Straubing Tigers | DEL | 29 | 17 | 12 | 0 | 1707 | 70 | 2 | 2.46 | .909 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 460 | 17 | 0 | 2.22 | .907 | ||
| 2024–25 | Dynamo Moscow | KHL | 14 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 813 | 38 | 1 | 2.81 | .908 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 279 | 19 | 0 | 4.10 | .842 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | W | L | OT | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | United States | U17 |  | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2.41 | .879 | |
| Junior totals | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2.41 | .879 | ||||
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| BCHL | ||
| Best goalie duo with lowestGAA | 2014,2015 | |
| Second All-Star Team | 2014 | |
| BestSVS % (.931) | 2015 | |
| Best GAA (1.88) | 2015 | |
| First All-Star Team | 2015 | |
| Top Goaltender | 2015 | |
| College | ||
| NCHC All-Tournament Team | 2017 | |
| NCHC Second All-Star Team | 2017 | |