Although former goaltender Ryan Miller is on his way to western New York to play professional hockey, his parents are still rooted in East Lansing - and that seems to be good news for members of the MSU hockey team.
During the past three years, Dean and Teresa Miller have become something of local guardians to the Spartan players, who hail from places as far away as British Columbia, Alberta and North Dakota.
When now-senior left wing Brian Maloney cracked two ribs and lacerated his kidney last season, the Millers picked him up from the hospital, brought him to their house and, during the course of a few weeks, nursed him back to health.
When last Thanksgiving rolled around and found many Spartan players hundreds of miles from home, Teresa Miller invited the team to a home-cooked feast at the Miller abode.
Not to mention the open-invitation barbecues they host every once in a while, most recently on Sunday.
“The Millers have become family to everybody here,” senior defenseman Brad Fast said. “They’re the nicest people, and Ryan is a pure reflection of them - nothing but class.”
But now that their son’s collegiate career is over after signing with the Buffalo Sabres last week, will the Millers’ East Lansing home be any less of a destination for the Spartans?
The fully healed Maloney doesn’t even want to consider that scenario.
“I go over there quite a bit, so hopefully they’ll still be around,” Maloney said. “With all the Millers coming through this organization, I think they will. They’re really nice people.”
Teresa Miller said Maloney, and all his teammates, will still be welcome during this Miller-less Spartan season.
“If they’re around and they need somewhere to go, I’m sure we’ll have them here again,” the Miller matriarch said. “They’re just a great group of guys, so to be able to give them that touch of belonging somewhere is nice.”
“We’ve got the same friends that Ryan has,” said Dean Miller, who played hockey for MSU from 1977-79. “We’re just trying to help where we can in terms of helping the new kids acclimate and the veteran kids stabilize down here.
“It’s good for them to have some local support when they need it, even if it’s just having someone to call up and talk to.”
But it’s not quite as easy as the Millers simply having the desire to be there for the team. The long arm of the NCAA can reach all the way across the Millers’ dinner table and smack the wrists of players receiving improper favors, if the hosts and their guests aren’t careful.
With Ryan Miller no longer on the team and next-oldest son, Drew Miller, a year away from starting his Spartan career, the Millers will be viewed as boosters by the NCAA this season. That means they will have less leeway than they had when their son was on the team, but, according to the MSU Office of Compliance Services, boosters can invite student-athletes to their home for a meal on “infrequent, special occasions.”
“We’re not going to jeopardize Michigan State for anything,” Teresa Miller said. “But we can still have the guys over sometimes, and we will do it again in a heartbeat. It’s just part of being part of the team.”
And just a year from now, Drew Miller, a forward, will be part of the Spartan team, bringing with him a brand new class of freshmen ripe for some Miller hospitality.
“We probably won’t be as popular of a haunt this year,” Dean Miller said. “But we know quite a few of the kids Drew is coming in with, so I’m sure it’ll continue for a while.”
James Jahnke can be reached at jahnkeja@msu.edu.
