Women in Hockey: Miranda McMillan
Canadiens data analyst looks for paterns, properties not obvious at first glance
By
NHL.com @NHLdotcom
Name:Miranda McMillan
Job title: Hockey Data Analyst
Education: Bachelor of Science, Honours in Statistics and Mathematics, Dalhousie University, 2013
Years of hockey experience (Include on- and off-ice hockey-related experience):24
Describe your job in 2-3 sentences: As the hockey data analyst, it is my job to look for patterns or properties in the data that might not be obvious at first glance and be able to explore and present those trends in a way that makes sense to our hockey ops staff. This could range from in-game tactical data to athlete performance data to talent identification - serving many different departments within our broader team.
What's the best piece of career advice you've ever been given, or what advice do you like to give others?
I'm definitely paraphrasing this, but essentially it was "do what you love, what makes you happy". At the time I didn't realize how important or valid this advice would be, but I've had some tragedy in my life which makes you quickly realize that life is too short. We spend such a large portion of our days, weeks, and years working that it shouldn't be wasted doing something that doesn't excite you.
What motivates you to keep pushing and be successful?
For as long as I can remember I've been a competitive person -- my sisters and I have our parents to thank for that. I believe it is what continues to fuel me to be better. Growing up I was always trying to keep up with my older sisters, especially in school, where they set the bar very high. This, along with all the sports I played, instilled a strong work ethic and a drive to always be the best that I can be. Whether it was striving for success in the classroom, on the ice or the courts or now in my professional life, I feel that the natural competitive drive inside of me is what pushes me every day to be my best.
Describe a moment where you proudly thought to yourself, "I can't believe this is my job!"
I've certainly had a couple of these moments since onboarding with the Canadiens. The very first was probably seeing my email signature for the very first time with the Canadiens logo beside my name. The second moment that quickly followed was being able to be in Montreal (I am working remotely from Halifax) for the Habs prospect camp where I had the opportunity to watch the on-ice sessions and watch as the new draft picks got to take their first practices in a Canadiens jersey. Being there to meet other members of the hockey operations team and tour around the facilities was a surreal moment.
What sports did you play, and enjoy most or least, growing up?
Growing up I was a busy kid, playing as many sports as I could. I was always drawn to hockey and eventually my parents gave in and let me start playing. It has always been my favorite. Outside of hockey, I also played basketball, soccer, golf, badminton and softball.
What are your hobbies and why do you enjoy it/them?
I like to stay as active as possible, so a lot of my free time is centered around that. I still play hockey and I am also a referee (I have coached in the past as well). I play ball hockey and golf and have recently tried my hand at squash. I enjoy camping, cycling and hiking and snowshoeing in the winter when the weather allows. I find the outdoors grounds me. After working in front of a computer all day, I really look forward to being active outside, no matter the season.
Are you a morning person or night owl?
Morning
What's your favorite book?
"Uneducated"
What's your favorite movie or TV show?
"Schitt's Creek"
Do you have any hidden talents (if yes, what)?
I actually polled my friends for this question. They claim my ability to make a loon call with my hands is a true hidden talent.
