Giddy up!

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“I grew up working”, McMillen told RocketFAN. “When I was little, I really didn’t get into it, but the last couple of years I’ve been working every day.”

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Those days on the ranch are not for the faint of heart. They can be as long as 15 hours, all depending on what his father, Dave, a former Tacoma Rockets d-man in his own right, wants to accomplish over the course of the workday.

Sometimes it’s even hard for the teenager to keep up with his hard-charging 77-year-old grandfather, who is the stabilizing force behind the operation.

“I am up at 6 a.m. and not going to bed until late at night,” McMillen said. “I chase cows, I drive a tractor and fix fences. I do lots of labour.”

Working on the ranch can be rewarding yet dangerous. McMillen was kicked in the chin by a cow this summer, a week before his sister’s wedding. Fortunately, he avoided injury with no visible bruising when family photos were taken at the celebratory event.

One of the perks of growing up on the open prairie is chasing down cows on horseback. McMillen started learning to ride when he was only eight.

“We have three main horses that we ride. I ride ‘Joe’. I like ‘Goose’, the one my sister rides. I rode him a couple of more times this year and he is more energetic. He likes going.”

With speed to burn, McMillen has wheels of his own when lacing up his skates. In his rookie season in 2021-2022, the ninth round bantam draft pick collecting 11 goals and 43 points in 67 games.

“I was happy with last year. This year we will be one of the top teams in our division”, McMillen added. “Personally, I want lots of ice time. I need to work for that. I like to kill penalties and be a team guy. I like to block shots.”

One of his fondest memories in hockey wasn’t on the ice, but off it. McMillen attended the 2015 Western Hockey League final in nearby Brandon, Manitoba (just two hours east of McMillen’s hometown of Carievale, Saskatchewan) when the Wheat Kings were facing the Kelowna Rockets. Once the game ended, he and his dad were in for a surprise.

“Bruce (Hamilton) let us down into the dressing room. I got to shake hands with lots of guys like Leon Draisaitl, Madison Bowey and Josh Morrisey. It was sweet.”

It almost seems odd that McMillen, who grew up around the smell of manure and calves being born, would end up playing junior hockey where sunshine, sandy beaches and wine are enjoyed.

The lifestyle may be the polar opposite to his, but McMillen is enjoying what makes the Okanagan great.

“I love Kelowna. It doesn’t get minus 35. It is a great organization. I love everybody here. I have a great billet family”.

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