Drew Miller Selected As 2005-06 Spartan Hockey Captain
4/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Ice Hockey
April 13, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State head coach Rick Comley has announced his captains for the 2005-06 season as forward Drew Miller (East Lansing, Mich.) will serve as the team captain for the first time in his career. Wearing the "A" on their jerseys will be forward Colton Fretter (Harrow, Ont.) and defensemen Jared Nightingale (Cheboygan, Mich.) and Corey Potter (Mason, Mich.).
"This is a very good group of captains; they have been the players that have provided leadership in the locker room," said Comley. "Collectively as a group, they understand the direction that our program wants to take and the path that we need to get it to the next level. They know what needs to be done."
Miller, who served as an assistant captain as a sophomore, had a breakout season offensively in 2004-05. He ranked as the team's third leading scorer with 33 points (17 goals, 16 assists) in 40 games and tied for second on the squad with a +15 plus/minus rating. His 17 goals ranks second on the squad as 16 of his 17 tallies came in CCHA play. In addition, he finished second on MSU with nine power-play markers - a total that placed him tied for ninth in the CCHA.
The East Lansing, Mich., native was named MSU's Most Improved Player at the 2005 hockey banquet after tripling his offensive output from his freshman year. As a rookie in 2003-04, he picked up four goals and six assists for 10 points in 41 games while being asked to serve in a defensive forward role. Even with his offensive production, his defense never lacked during the 2004-05 season as he blocked 68 shots to lead all forwards.
"I am definitely really excited," said Miller on his selection of team captain. "I never really thought about being a captain. My goal growing up was just to play at Michigan State.
"I have three assistant captains who are all capable of being named captain too. I think we have good leadership for the team and we can see where it takes us next year."
"I think more of leading on the ice is my style of play," continued Miller. "I try to go out there and give everything I have for the team and make the most happen that I can. From a vocal standpoint, I guess that is just how I was brought up. I was brought up around Michigan State hockey. A lot of the guys that I looked up to were captains and leaders on the team, watching what they did helped shape me to be more of a vocal leader and to know when to raise your voice if you have to and stay positive."
The 10th member of his family to wear the Green and White, Miller has played in 81 career games with 21 goals and 22 assists for 43 points. He tallied his first collegiate marker against Northern Michigan on Jan. 2, 2004. A sixth-round draft pick of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Miller is majoring in general management.
 Colton Fretter  | |
All told, his 20 goals led MSU and tied for seventh in the CCHA. He also had a knack for scoring the big goals as he tied for fourth in the nation with six game-winning tallies. One of his biggest goals of the season came in the Great Lakes Invitational title game as he tallied the game winner in overtime in a 2-1 victory over Michigan for the GLI title.
"I think it is a huge honor," remarked Fretter. "It wasn't really expected. I'm not really a big talker. I don't have the good motivational speeches, but I just come and try to work hard and never quit. I take pride in never quitting."
The Harrow, Ont., native enters the 2005-06 season with 83 career points on 33 goals and 50 assists in 113 career contests. An eighth-round draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, Fretter is majoring in kinesiology.
 Jared Nightingale | |
"It is a huge honor, especially at a school like this to be acknowledged with an "A" on your jersey," said Nightingale. "There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about that.
"I try to show up each day with a positive attitude. As hard as it is sometimes, even when times are hard or going well, I try to stay at an even-keel and not get too high or too low. I just try to bring the same work ethic day in and day out and try to be an example for the other guys."
As a sophomore in 2003-04, he was one of six Spartans to play in all 42 games while picking up eight helpers and a +13 plus/minus rating. In his rookie campaign (2002-03), he skated in 38 games and posted one goal and three assists for four points. He scored his first career goal at Lake Superior State on Jan. 4, 2003.
All told, the Cheboygan, Mich., native has appeared in 115 career contests, tallying one goal and 14 assists for 15 points and is a criminal justice major.
 Corey Potter | |
As a junior in 2003-04, he skated in 38 games with eight helpers and 63 penalty minutes. He was the recipient of MSU's Dr. John Downs Outstanding Defensive Player Award and was a member of Team USA, which won a gold medal at the 2004 World Junior Championships.
"I feel like it is a great honor to have been voted as an assistant captain especially since the players voted," said Potter. "My teammates have confidence in me and they look up to me and I think that is exciting.
"I think for me personally I am not the most vocal person. That is one of the things that I have to work on is to be more vocal with my teammates and with Coach. On the ice and off the ice, I think that our guys know that I am here for everybody and I think that I compete very hard. The players can learn something from that. Competing is one of the more important parts of the game. If an assistant captain is competing, then everyone should be competing."
A fourth-round draft choice of the New York Rangers in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, Potter has appeared in 105 career games with four goals and 20 points. He tallied his first goal as a Spartan with the game-winning tally in a 2-1 win over Colgate on Oct. 12, 2002.
The Mason, Mich., native is majoring in human resources.
