Drew Miller doesn't get waived by a contending team because Drew Miller is an accent. He's garnish and a complement on a good team. He's a niche player who happily fills a role on a fourth line and a PK. Really good teams need Drew Miller.
The Red Wings are not a well constructed or particularly well coached team, so Drew Miller was waived.
Because the Red Wings are not only poorly constructed and poorly coached, but overall less than mediocre, Drew Miller was brought back to do more than the little things.
He'll probably play fifteen tonight because Vanek and Larkin are hurt, Ott is still hurt, and Jurco will prove on his second or third shift that he has no.