Miller time
Miller Bryan is eligible for the 2025 OHL draft this weekend. Photo by Insight Imaging Photography.
Miller Bryan is a classic team player.
The 16-year-old West Lincoln resident did a little bit of everything for the Niagara North Stars U16 AAA squad this year and was happy to do so.
“He’s just a workhorse,” Stars coach Curtis Conrad said. “He’s probably our best two-way forward. Really good on the face-offs, penalty kills, plays in front of the net on the power play, doesn’t cheat the game, plays a 200-foot game and really a guy that a coach can rely on for sure.”
Bryan had no problems filling that role.
“Honestly, it just comes from doing what’s best for the team,” he said. “A lot of guys on our team, they like to score. So, we want to have that one guy that’s going to shut down defensively and help with the team in a different area than scoring.”
Bryan said having a high hockey IQ can help in his role as a shutdown forward.
“Considering we play each team four times in the season after one or two you kind of get to know their strengths,” he said. “What they’re doing on the ice and how to beat them in a face-off, their hand positioning on the stick when they’re going into a draw.”
Bryan loved his time on the Stars this season.
“Oh yeah, definitely. All the guys were great this year. Definitely a lot of talent on that team. Goaltending was excellent. Defence was spot on so I can’t complain about this past year.”
Bryan, who netted nine goals and 23 points in 34 regular season games before adding six goals and 16 points in the playoffs, is eagerly anticipating for this weekend’s Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection draft.
“Obviously it’s something I’m looking forward to,” the West Niagara Secondary School student said. “I’ve been looking forward to it since I was younger, definitely.”
But Bryan is also wise enough to realize the draft won’t necessarily define the rest of his career.
“If it doesn’t happen, then just keep working and there’s the U18 drafts, so I can try to get into that.”
Bryan had aspirations of playing in the NHL when he was younger but would be thrilled for a chance at the OHL for now.
“Definitely when I was a really young kid it was to play in the NHL but as you get older you realize how hard that is so the OHL would definitely be a huge accomplishment,” he said.
Bryan grew up playing soccer and hockey and is now playing flag football with a few of the Stars.
“It’s definitely very important to expand your activities because getting on the ice five times a week is pretty tiring. I can’t imagine doing it 12 months of the year,” he said.
Bryan, who plans to follow the draft at home with his family, has been contacted by the Niagara IceDogs and London Knights.
He would be thrilled to be drafted by the IceDogs.
“It’d be very cool with all my friends and family who would be able to come,” he said. “It would be sick.”
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