Broadcaster Millen also leadership teacher, consultant
Former Petes goalie was influenced by Neilson to pursue master’s degree in leadership at the University of Guelph
Greg Millen has become synonymous with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Most people know him for his storytelling on a game night or as an instructor, at Fleming College. However, before becoming a sports media mogul and educator, he was a Peterborough Pete and a Roger Neilson disciple.
After standing between the pipes for the Petes across three seasons, Millen spent the fall of1977 hanging around the International Hockey League’s Kalamazoo Wings.
Unable to pen a deal with the Michigan franchise, the Toronto native enrolled at the University of Guelph, preparing to step away from hockey.
The intervention of Petes head coach Gary Green gave Millen the chance to wrap up his junior career with a legendary Sault Ste. Marie roster, an opportunity he almost passed up.
“Luckily for me, I had a guy by the name of Wayne Gretzky playing for the Greyhounds. We had carnival houses every night because of Wayne,” Millen said.
The following year, Millen was in the NHL.
“I went from being out of hockey to playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins the next year for 28 games,” he said.
He spent three seasons with Pittsburgh, four with the Hartford Whalers, six with the St. Louis Blues, one with the Quebec Nordiques, two for the Chicago Blackhawks and he capped things off with the Detroit Red Wings.
“The times in St. Louis were spectacular because of the teams we had and the character we had.”
Like many Petes alumni, Millen credits his early understanding of character and formation of his moral compass to Neilson.
In identifying what drew people to Neilson, Millen quickly points out his former coach’s humanity.
He was a teacher but a teacher in life, not a teacher in hockey. Hockey was the bonus.
Anybody who came across Neilson and throughout his time would say the same thing. He had an incredible sense of humanity to him. He cared about people and that’s why he was so successful.
To this day, at times, we have lost humanity in our game, and these days we remember it is the most important thing of any coach.
Neilson’s adoration for education and requirement for his players to attend school or work while playing for the Petes resonated with Millen. The former goalie returned to school several years ago at the University of Guelph and completed his masters in leadership.
“It was something I wanted to do circling back to Roger’s influence.”
Now on the other side of the classroom, Millen teaches 100 students at Fleming College and works closely with Western University’s Ivey School of Business doing extensive research on character development.
He built his own consulting firm Millen Leadership, offering seminars and interactive workshops that shift leaderships and corporations’ behaviour to align with their values, character virtues and competences.
“The response from students has been spectacular. The rewarding part is when you get that one letter from a student who you might have helped somebody or influenced somebody in a positive way. That’s why you do it. That’s why you teach.”
Beyond broadcasts at Scotiabank Arena, Millen has also called games at the Olympics and for the Ottawa Senators. His entry into broadcasting began in the nation’s capital via fellow Petes alumnus Bob Gainey.
“I worked for Bob as a goalie coach as I started my broadcasting career in Ottawa, so I had two jobs coming out from hockey. He was a huge influence on me in my transition. I owe a lot to him for that,” he said.
“It’s funny you know, at one point I had to make a decision and Bob in his low very stern voice says, ‘Greg I think perhaps you should go into television,’ ” he added.
“I don’t know if he was telling me I was a horrible coach or if I should go into television.”
Millen giggled as he reflected upon Gainey’s guidance.
In addition to a shove from Gainey, Millen’s prep for broadcasting came from practice in the stands when he wasn’t playing and an audition tape put together by Lisa Seltzer from the Blackhawks.
“The Ottawa Senators were getting into the league and they needed a television colour person for their 30-game package at that point and I had an audition tape. I owe a lot to the Ottawa Senators at that point for getting me a start in the television.”
Millen, a Bridgenorth area resident, spent 11 years with the Senators before becoming colour commentator for the Maple Leafs alongside Joe Bowen on Sportsnet and on “Hockey Night in Canada.” He maintains that regardless of the team he was with, the opportunity to be involved with the sport he was raised on will always be a blessing.
“I’ve been very, very fortunate to cover all the things in our game. Each and every one of them is different but special.”