BEMIDJI — An unexpected name came up during the Bemidji State men’s hockey team’s Senior Night ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 29.
Junior forward Aaron Miller was honored alongside the Beavers’ three seniors because he has decided to depart the program with one season of eligibility remaining.
Miller said he made the decision after talking with his advisor, his parents and BSU head coach Tom Serratore.
“I just weighed out my options and figured what’s right for me, and how I feel at my age right now,” said Miller, 24. “I wanted to get on here. I’ve been here for four years. I feel like I've paid my dues here. I just felt like I wanted to leave with my classmates I came in here with — Adam Brady, Tommy Muck and Hampus Sjödahl. I’ve been with them for four years and next year without them would have been weird, I feel like. I just kind of want to go with them.”
The former Superior Spartan is third on the team with 28 points from 12 goals and 16 assists this season. All three are career-best marks.
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For his career, Miller has racked up 63 points from 26 goals and 37 assists in 100 games over three seasons. He sat out the 2016-17 season for Bemidji State due to academic reasons related to high school credits.
Miller will have six credits left in his major after this year, but he’s hopeful he’ll complete his degree and graduate next year. For now, his attention is geared toward helping the Beavers make as deep a postseason run as possible.
“I have a season right now to focus on and I don’t want to focus on anything other than that,” Miller said regarding his future plans. “The team comes first right now. To bring back something to the city would be amazing to end your career. That’d be special for me. I’ll just find out once the season’s done, but hopefully that’s not for another month and a half or so.”
Second-seeded BSU opens the WCHA playoffs this weekend with a best-of-three playoff series against seventh-seeded Lake Superior State at the Sanford Center. Friday’s game is set for a 7:07 p.m. start, with puck drop scheduled for 6:07 p.m. Saturday, March 7, and, if necessary, 6:07 p.m. Sunday., March 8.
NOTES: Miller graduated from Superior High School in 2014, and is tied for second on the Spartans’ all-time scoring list with Pat Dalbec. Miller finished with 167 points (82 goals, 85 assists). Dalbec had 70 goals and 97 assists. … Marty Wiitala is Superior’s all-time leading scorer with 90 goals and 83 assists for 173 points.
