Barring a stunning upset, Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller will win the Vezina Trophy next week at the NHL Awards, the perfect capper to an MVP-worthy campaign.

After four stellar seasons in the Sabres’ net, Miller elevated himself a new level in 2009-10, becoming one of the NHL’s true superstars and arguably its finest goalie. His splendid play backstopping Team USA to a silver medal at the Vancouver Olympics made him a household name.

Miller’s the face, heart and cornerstone of the Buffalo franchise.

The Sabres do have some goaltending issues to address, however. Here’s a look at the team’s situation in goal heading into the summer.

Ryan Miller

Age: 29

Contract: $6.25 million cap hit, four years remaining

2009-10 statistics: 69 games, 41-18-8, 2.22 goals-against average, .929 save percentage, five shutouts

Miller’s presence in net should keep the Sabres contenders for years. Remember, the team won the Northeast Division despite down years from Jason Pominville, Derek Roy and Thomas Vanek, three of their top offensive threats.

What can Miller do for an encore? Was it a career season? It’s hard to imagine Miller, who will turn 30 on July 17, playing much better. But he’s a supreme competitor and a constant thinker. He’ll unearth the flaws in his game and work to fix them.

Miller’s durability often got lost during his dynamic season. Counting the Olympics, he played 75 games during the regular season. His only rough patch came before the Olympics. When he returned from Vancouver, he tended some of his best goal.

Miller, 6-foot-2, 175 pounds, struggled playing 76 times in 2007-08. The Sabres wanted to lighten his workload a bit. But Miller used the hefty action two years ago as a learning experience. He refined his practice habits and conditioning. That played a huge role in his dominating season.

Patrick Lalime

Age: 35

Contract: unrestricted free agent

2009-10 statistics: 16 games, 4-8-2, 2.81 goals-against average, .907 save percentage, zero shutouts

Lalime, once one of the league’s top goalies, endured two odd seasons receiving sporadic action behind Miller. Like many former starters, he often struggled, going weeks between starts.

Lalime went more than a year between road wins. He often played just well enough to lose. He rarely stole games.

To jumpstart Lalime and get him in a groove, the Sabres sent him on an AHL conditioning assignment in December. When the veteran returned, it appeared he was playing for his job. Lalime responded with a string of strong efforts.

Still, Lalime’s chances of being re-signed appear iffy. Martin Biron, once Miller’s ace backup, is also a free agent. It’s doubtful Biron will get an opportunity to start again. He still lives in Buffalo. It seems like a natural fit. Biron revealed in the fall he nearly returned to the Sabres last summer.

Following the season, however, Sabres general manager Darcy Regier noted the likable Lalime, who won his 200th career game in March, posted better numbers than Biron had with the Islanders (9-14-4, 3.27, .896).

Whatever happens, Regier has said the Sabres will sign a veteran backup.

Jhonas Enroth

Age: 21

Contract: $850,000 cap hit, one year remaining

2009-10 statistics: 48 games, 28-18-1, 2.37 goals-against average, .919 save percentage, five shutouts (AHL Portland) one game, 0-1, 4.12 goals-against average, .892 save percentage (Buffalo)

If Miller wasn’t entrenched as the starter, you’d hear a lot more about the Swede, who’s quietly a blue-chip prospect.

Two years into his North American career, it appears Enroth’s ready for the NHL. But do the Sabres really want to let him rot behind Miller in the NHL? Probably not.

An ankle sprain Enroth suffered on March 13 shelved him for the season, so he missed Portland’s brief playoff appearance. The Sabres probably want Enroth to receive more seasoning in the minors.

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