Fort McMurray, AB – The Fort McMurray Oil Barons are pleased to announce that 20-year-old defenceman Taner Miller (Lethbridge, AB) has committed to the Grant MacEwan University Griffins of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC). Miller's commitment to Grant MacEwan will begin this Fall.
“As a coaching staff, we're very excited for Taner,” said Oil Barons Head Coach and General Manager Tom Keca. “On the ice, Taner is a reliable two-way defenceman with strong leadership qualities. While off the ice, he is the complete team player and one of the nicest individuals you will ever meet.”
“There's no doubt that Taner will be remembered as a model Oil Baron for years to come,” added Keca. “We wish him all the best at Grant MacEwan this Fall.”
In total, Miller played in an impressive 234 games for the Oil Barons over four seasons, only missing six regular season games in that span. Miller set career highs with 11 goals and 46 points this season, while appearing in 59 of the team’s 60 games for a third straight year.
In September, Miller was named team captain, while his consistent play and leadership on the ice earned him the team’s Best Defenceman and Most Dedicated Player Awards in March. Miller’s dedication to his team was also recognized by the AJHL, as he was named a finalist for the league’s Most Dedicated Player Award. Miller was also awarded the 2019 Inter Pipeline AJHL Scholarship, which is awarded to one AJHL player based on their proven qualities in the areas of leadership, sportsmanship, dedication and citizenship.
“We're extremely excited to be adding a player of Taner's calibre to our program,” said Griffins Head Coach Mike Ringrose. “He's a proven leader whose complete game will help us on both sides of the puck. The Oil Barons have a history of preparing athletes for success at the next level, and we expect Taner to step in and have an immediate impact.”
Miller joins joins teammates Liam Izyk (Alabama-Huntsville, NCAA), Ryan Conroy (Yale, NCAA) Jaedon Leslie (Ohio State, NCAA) and Peter Tomaras (Concordia, ACAC) as players from the team's 2018/19 active roster to commit to a post-secondary institution.