Sam Miletic talks about his experience at the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game

Sam Miletic was a standout for Cranbrook Kingswood before making the jump to the USHL. (Photo by Andrew Knapik/MiHockey)
Sam Miletic was a standout for Cranbrook Kingswood before making the jump to the USHL. (Photo by Andrew Knapik/MiHockey)

 

By Nick Barnowski –

Less than a year removed from playing high school hockey, Sam Miletic was one of six Michigan natives selected to compete in last night’s USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Dubuque, Iowa.

Miletic, a West Bloomfield native and Cranbrook Kingswood alum, had the chance to skate in front of scouts from every NHL organization at the event – one designed to showcase the top USHL players eligible for the 2015 draft.

“It was a huge honor just to be selected,” Miletic, a Michigan commit, told MiHockey via phone from Dubuque. “With the fans here and how everybody on our team really came together, it was a cool experience.”

Other Michigan natives and connections invited to participate included Kyle Connor (Shelby Township, Michigan commit), Christian Wolanin (Rochester, Muskegon Lumberjacks) and Eric Schierhorn (Muskegon Lumberjacks) for Team East. Michigan commit Cooper Marody (Brighton), Bryce Hatten (Michigan Nationals alum) and Michael Floodstrand of the U.S. NTDP were on Team West.

Miletic said the event was one of the best moments of his USHL career so far.

“It’s always a good feeling scoring, but in a game like this, it’s even better,” he said. “This day was really special. The meeting before, seeing everyone come together, listening to Ed Olczyk speaking, it was really fun to be here.”

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The USHL and NHL Central Scouting selected the 40 players to participate in the prestigious event. This was the third edition of the game, which began in 2012 but was not held last season.

More than 100 scouts representing all 30 NHL teams were in attendance. After 17 players who participated in the 2013 Top Prospects Game were selected in that year’s NHL Draft, Miletic said there was added pressure to perform well in front of so many important eyes.

“It’s just more pressure because it’s a big game,” he said. “But after a couple of shifts in, you just go play and it was a ton of fun.”

The 6-foot-2 forward is one of many who made the jump from high school to the USHL this season. After putting up big numbers with Cranbrook from 2011-14, Miletic chose to play with the Green Bay Gamblers instead of going to the OHL. He has 14 points in 30 games this season.

Playing for coach Andy Weidenbach at Cranbrook, Miletic had 127 points in 62 games, leading to him being drafted in the fifth round by the Gamblers.

“It’s been great,” Miletic said of moving to the USHL. “It’s definitely bigger, faster and stronger all around, but I feel like the best part is the development. (The USHL) really teaches you how to find your identity.”

The Gamblers will play nearly as many games this season and Miletic did in his entire Cranbrook career. The increase in ice time has been the biggest adjustment for the 17-year-old.

“It was a big step at the beginning of the year,” he said. “I was going from no more than a 45-minute drive to games in high school, and now we’re going on 12-hour bus rides, playing, and coming back. It’s tough.”

Miletic will spend one more full season in the USHL before heading to Ann Arbor to play for the Wolverines. He said the decision to commit to Michigan was a “no brainer” and that he was excited to play for legendary coach Red Berenson. Miletic’s older brother, Kyle, is a Michigan alum and the two grew up watching the Wolverines play at Yost.

The USHL Top Prospects Game was another step in the right direction, but Miletic knows there are areas of his game that must improve before college hockey comes calling.

“I’d say learning how to be a player that can bring it every night, no matter how many games you’re playing. Be a player that’s hard to play against. It’s the little things that take you to the next level, and that’s exactly why I came to the USHL.”