Miramichi Timberwolves NewsHome
Milson takes over as captain of Timberwolves
Miramichi Leader
Wed May 19 2010
Byline: Lucas McInnis
Matt Milson is the new leader of the pack.
The Miramichi native was officially named team captain for the Miramichi Timberwolves in the 2010-11 season and while the team has had captains from along the river, he will be the first captain to be from the city.
"We do have a lot of good leaders on our team coming back this year so it was an honour to be named captain and of course I'd love to be captain for my hometown," Milson said at the Miramichi Civic Centre Monday.
The T-Wolves will be heading into their 11th season in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League, and have yet to win a championship. Milson hopes there will be a change this year and the T-Wolves will be able to bring the Kent Cup home for the first time in team history.
"You want to set a good example on the ice and behind the doors you just want to keep the players on track and make sure everyone is focused for the game."
Averaging 750 fans in the regular season and almost 1,300 in the playoffs for 2009-10, the T-Wolves maintain some of the league's best attendance, proving that Miramichi loves its Timberwolves.
The 20-year-old captain called it an honour to lead his home team and would love to make history and take the team to its first championship.
"We get wicked support, we have some of the best attendance in the league so that's obviously a factor in home games," he said. "That would be the ultimate dream right there, it would wicked and I really hope we can do this and I believe we can with our group of guys coming back."
Milson came away from last year's regular season sitting in seventh place for points, pulling off an impressive 25 goals and 41 assists, averaging 1.35 points per game.
The newly christened captain is looking to improve on those stats, saying "The more we score the better our team does."
"I'd just like to improve and have another good year."
Timberwolves general manager and head coach Billy McGuigan made note of Milson last season, on and off the ice.
As an assistant captain for last season's team, Milson was already showing signs of a leader.
"As a 20-year-old going into this season he's the most focused and committed he's been to hockey here and he wants to win a championship here," McGuigan said.
McGuigan said Milson has been contacting players in the off-season, getting ready for 2010-11, and in the three weeks since the two have discussed Milson taking the reigns the team's new captain has flourished in the role.
"He started off with the role and he's real excited so it's great for us. And he's a character kid and a great hockey player. So all those things being created equally it brings the perfect captain to our team," McGuigan said. "He obviously commands respect of the guys on the team because he's the type of kid that goes out and in a 1-1 hockey game he's the guy that goes out and blocks a shot that saves the game or going the other end he scores the goal."
And aside from that, McGuigan said Milson is also a player the team genuinely like, meaning when he speaks, the team listens.
But the points factor, while nice, isn't necessarily a determining one when selecting a captain, McGuigan said.
"Points are just something that's a bonus. When you compete the way he does offensively, defensively, it's not his goal-scoring ability that shows me that he's a committed player, it's the way he sacrifices his body late in the games . .. and then when you go out and you can get a point a game, that's obviously a massive bonus. He's a complete player. Matt Milson can do pretty well anything."
Matt Milson:
2009-10/ Played with: Miramichi Timberwolves/ 49 games/ 25 goals, 41 assists
2008-09/ Played with: Miramichi Timberwolves/ 49 games/ 18 goals/ 31 assists
2007-08/ Played with: Woodstock Slammers/ 50 games/ five goals/ eight assists
2006-07/ Played with: Woodstock Slammers/ 52 games/ nine goals/ five assists
* 2009-10 MJAHL All-Star team, right wing
* 2009-10 Voted by other teams as the player they don't want to play against
* 2009-10 Winner of the first MJAHL Character Award