PHOTO COURTESY OF PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS TWITTER
Medicine Hat product Ryan Miller takes the ice ahead of his Western Hockey League debut for the Portland Winter Hawks on Dec. 2.
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Ryan Miller got his taste of the Western Hockey League and can’t wait to get back there.
The Medicine Hat product and South Alberta Hockey Academy player made his WHL debut with the Portland Winterhawks on Dec. 2 in a home game against the Victoria Royals.
He says it was great getting to play at the WHL level and experience the day-to-day.
“It was a great experience, there’s nothing like it, it was pretty surreal. It was fun, a lot faster and stronger but it was good,” Miller said. “They take care of everything for you (in the WHL), it’s amazing. You don’t have to worry about it, they have it all for you.”
He played three games in Portland before retuning to Medicine Hat. Miller says he didn’t have to make the long drive, he flew down to Portland and had his mom in attendance. He was happy she could be there but was more focused on not messing up during his customary rookie lap.
“It was amazing having my mom come down to watch me even though I didn’t get much game time, just getting to see me be in the moment with the older guys.” Miller said.
Miller was drafted in the third round, 66th overall by the Winterhawks in the 2022 WHL draft that took place in May. He’s been playing this season with SAHA, putting up six goals and 14 points in 17 games for the Hockey Academy.
SAHA head coach Brayden Desjardins says Miller works incredibly hard and never complains. He says the 15-year-old has come a long way since the start of the season.
“It doesn’t matter where we put him the lineup, he’s going to find ways to make it work, he’s incredibly versatile,” Desjardins said. “He’s a guy that can be put on the first line, he’s played with Gavin (McKenna) for a little while this year and we’ve put him with Vizzer (Noah Dziver) and they find ways to produce.”
“The biggest thing with him is he finds ways to make things work and it’s going to make him incredibly useful and lethal at the next level. I’m excited to see where his career goes.”
Miller says having that experience with Portland in the middle of SAHA’s season gives him a chance to build off what he learned and get ready to become a full-time Winterhawk next season.
“I have to get stronger, put more hours in and watch the game because watching hockey is the biggest part. Just have to learn more poise, knowing how much time I have on the ice,” Miller said. “It gives me a lot of confidence to come back here, knowing the amount of space and time I have to get my head up and make plays.”
The day before Miller left for Portland he was one of three SAHA players named to Hockey Alberta’s U16 roster for the 2023 Canada Winter Games. The national games, hosted in P.E.I. will mark Miller’s first time in that province, an experience he is looking forward to.
“It’ll be amazing, there will be a lot of people there,” Miller said. “To have the chance to represent Alberta at the Canada Games, it’s something else.”
He says getting to play alongside SAHA teammates Matthew Paranych and Kadon McCann should give them an advantage once the tournament gets underway. He’s also ready to face McKenna who will likely suit up for Team Yukon.
“We all have a lot of chemistry, so if we build off that going into the games, we’ll stand a good chance against the other teams,” Miller said. “Playing against Gavin, I’m looking forward to it.”
SAHA drops final
game of 2022
The SAHA U18 men’s team was in Calgary Thursday facing off against Edge and lost 6-4 in their last CSSHL game of 2022.
Sammy Hynes, Nick McLennan, Noah Derouin and Miller all scored in the loss, Noah Dziver had two assists and Zach Zahara made 32 saves.
The SAHA men’s team has a week of holidays before they return to Calgary for the Circle K Challenge to defend their 2021 Mac’s championship. Their tournament gets started on Dec. 27.
