Some sad news to share, folks. The NHL Alumni Association announced on Monday evening on social media that broadcaster Greg Millen has passed away at the age of 67. He’s been part of Calgary Flames broadcasts on Sportsnet for the past several seasons as colour commentator, primarily working alongside Rick Ball and Jon Abbott.
Originally from Toronto, Millen plied his trade as a goaltender. He came up through the OMJHL (prior to its rebranding as the OHL) with the Peterborough Petes and Soo Greyhounds, and he was selected in the 1977 NHL Draft in the sixth round by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Despite being a later pick and being a smaller goalie listed at 5’9″ and 170 pounds in his playing days, Millen carved out a heck of an NHL career. He suited up for 604 games over 14 NHL seasons, appearing for Pittsburgh, Hartford, St. Louis, Quebec, Chicago and Detroit. He even led the league in shutouts in 1988-89.
After hanging up his pads, he went right into broadcasting, starting his career as a commentator working the broadcasts for the expansion Ottawa Senators. From 1992 onward he was a fixture on NHL broadcasts – including coverage of three Olympics, two World Cups, 12 Stanley Cup Finals and 12 All-Star Games – and he appeared on a combination of national NHL games and regional broadcasts for the Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and, more recently, the Flames over the past three decades. He most recently worked Sportsnet’s broadcast of the Mar. 14 Flames game against the Colorado Avalanche.
As a commentator, Millen provided a mix of insight and levity to the broadcasts he worked on. He was a fountain of knowledge, particularly on goaltending, but he never took himself too seriously. When you bumped into him around the rink, you knew that you would learn something about the game and have a good laugh. Millsy was that type of guy, and he’ll be sorely missed by those who had the pleasure of knowing him.
Our thoughts are with Millen’s family, friends, colleagues and all who knew him during this difficult time.