Down on the Farm: Milne’s Love of Hockey Fuels His Drive For NHL

Mikey Milne’s deep passion and love for the game of hockey began before he could talk.

Not long after his first birthday, his father, Jerry noticed something about his son’s reaction to the television when he would turn on a Canucks game at their Abbotsford, British Columbia home.

Mikey started to pull himself up and stand next to the TV in the family room. He would place his fingers on the screen and follow the puck, tracing along where it went—it only grew from there.

“When he was two years old and we were at a superstore where they had a setup of Tie Domi hockey gear,” explained Jerry Milne. “We bought the whole set and it was way too big. Every day he’d put that stuff on, grab a stick and just play around in the living room.”

“It's been my thing ever since I was young,” said Mikey Milne. “It's been my favorite thing in life. I love to watch it. I love to play it, street hockey or even mini sticks. It's kind of always been all about hockey.”

As a parent noticing his son’s immediate appreciation for the game, Jerry went looking for skates at Wal-Mart, citing a major challenge of finding a size that would work with his son’s diminutive feet. Claiming his son was always among the smallest in his age class.

“We got these skates that were adjustable, and he got his feet in and then would walk around on the carpet in the living room with those things on all the time,” said Jerry. “Then one day when he was three, he asked if we could go skating. We went 25 straight days before he finally took a day off.”

It’s no surprise of Mikey Milne’s deep gratitude, respect and love for his family. Milne’s parents, Jerry and Deryn recently celebrated their 25^th wedding anniversary. The couple exemplified teamwork by creating a system to get Mikey to his many hockey destinations throughout his youth.

For nearly a decade, Jerry drove over an hour along Highway One from home to work. He would leave at 4:30 a.m. to get to his job with the City of Vancouver. Once he was done for the day, he would drive halfway back home to meet Deryn to swap out the kids. She went to her job to work evenings at a restaurant as a server, while Jerry turned around and drove back into Vancouver for practices and games. Some nights they did not return home until midnight, just to turn around and do it again the next day. This is something Mikey reflects about often.

“When you're growing up, you don't realize it as much,” said the third year forward. “But then you look back and you feel like you owe it to them to do your best.”

“Every single day, every game. I think about that on the way to the rink and try to think about them and what they've done to get me to this point.”

Milne recognized his size at an early age, “I was always a smaller guy growing up. So, I felt like I always had to work harder than everyone else just to keep up.”

His hard work paid off and after the 2020 COVID shutdown, Milne blossomed into a true NHL prospect. In his final junior season with the WHL’s Winnipeg Ice in 2021-22, The 5-foot-11, 180-pound forward posted 38 goals and 43 assists for 81 points. The Minnesota Wild selected Milne with the 89^th overall pick (3^rd round) of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The moment he was taken by the Wild will always stand alone.

“It honestly is the best part of my life to this point”, said a smiling Milne.

He had a goal in mind as a then 20-year-old heading into his first NHL training camp in Saint Paul.

“I had a chance to make Iowa, but just had the mindset to work as hard as I could and not give them a reason to send me back.”

Des Moines has been home for Milne going on three seasons, it’s a place that reminds him of where he grew up.

“I'm not a big city guy, and this is kind of a smaller city,” explained Milne. “I love it. It's low key and sunsets are great.”

Now in his third developmental season with the Wild, Milne’s mindset is crystal clear.

“I want to play in Minnesota,” said Milne. “I need to work every day. I watch a lot of hockey. I watch a lot of film, and obviously with this team, I want to be an impact player going on my third year here.”

“I’m trying to be a leader on the ice, and I want the puck. Maybe in my first two years I was a little bit hesitant, or I felt like I couldn't speak up as much or be that player. This year, I feel more confident with the puck. I want to drive the offense and be that player I know I can be.”

It’s been noticeable to his teammates and his coaching staff. Fellow prospect, teammate and road roommate, Caeden Bankier has enjoyed watching his good friend develop as a professional.

“He's always had a huge motor and can fly around the ice,” said Bankier. “I've noticed he's more confident with the puck and making plays this season.”

“There's a confidence and assertiveness in his game,” said Iowa Wild Head Coach Brett McLean. “I think he’s understanding what he needs to do to be successful and doing it more consistently. Also, I think it's just a growth and maturity thing as a young man. He just seems more confident in who he is. Not just as a player, but even more as a young man. You just see that with Mikey and he's been consistently good for us.”