Coventry Blaze Ice Hockey team have signed American forward Brian McMillin for the 2013/14 Rapid Solicitors Elite League campaign.
The 25-year-old Minnesota native arrives at the Skydome fresh from being named the Most Valuable Player in Allen Americans’ Central Hockey League play-off triumph following a Game Seven win over Wichita Thunder.
The Ray Miron Presidents’ Cup success was the franchise’s first championship and they also became just the eighth CHL team to win the regular-season and post-season title in the same campaign.
McMillin has spent the last three seasons with the Americans, posting 112 points (51 goals and 61 assists) in 178 regular-season and play-off matches. Last season, he registered 30 points (15 goals and 15 assists) in 58 regular-season appearances and 20 points (12 goals and eight assists) in 19 play-off games on his way to collecting the post-season MVP.
After four years with Colorado College in the NCAA – being named in the All-Academic Team twice – McMillin had 14 games for Kalamazoo Wings in the ECHL prior to joining the Americans.
Coach Matt Soderstrom said: “Brian was named the MVP for Allen Americans which is a team stacked with talent.
"He scored some big-clutch goals and got 30 points in the regular-season – some of their big guns got 50 so he was somewhere in the middle of a talented team which was the best in the league and very deep.
“We spoke to the guys at Allen Americans and to other people as well as they all had great things to say about Brian.
“He has a big upside and will have a lot more responsibility with us and can go to another level. He is a team player and does everything well. Brian will compliment our other forwards and we expect 20-plus goals from him next season.”
Director of Hockey Operations Paul Thompson said: “We have been looking at Brian for the last four to five weeks. We have done our research on him and he is someone who knows what it takes to win. You don’t get to sign many guys who are coming off being named the MVP in the play-offs!
“We think Brian will be a perfect fit for us. All the feedback we got on him was positive. He is a guy who is dependable and will be the glue around our offensive talent.”
McMillin, who scored the game-winner in matches 2 and 4 of the Americans' play-off triumph, said: “I am very excited about making the move to Coventry. I can't wait to get things going.
“Winning my first pro championship in overtime of a Game 7 was definitely an incredible feeling, one I hope to experience again soon. Winning the play-off MVP was just the cherry on the top.
“I take a lot of pride in being a consistent, two-way player. I'm not flashy but I will find a way to get the job done. I hope to help improve the team in both ends of the ice as well as on the PP and PK. My only goal for next year is to help bring championships back to Coventry.”
McMillin joins Steven Chalmers, Ross Venus, James Griffin, Mike Egener, Adam Henrich, Benn Olson, Mike Schutte, Russell Cowley, Mike Zacharias, Matt Selby, Dale White, Adam Goss, Michael Henrich, Ryan Ginand, Sean Erickson and Ashley Tait on next season's roste