Mason Millman: Career AHL’er or NHL Defenseman?

Mason Millman was born on July 18, 2001, in London, Ontario. He was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 4th round (103rd overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Millman had shown promise and potential in the earlier stages of his journey. I will delve into his hockey journey, providing a detailed scouting report and evaluating his potential to make it to the NHL.

Early Career and Junior Leagues

Millman’s hockey journey began with the London Junior Knights, where he showcased his skills and caught the attention of OHL scouts. He accomplished a rarity by winning 7 consecutive championships with his teams beginning with the ALLIANCE U10 and ending with the ALLIANCE U16 in Ontario

He was drafted by the Saginaw Spirit in the 7th round, 124^th overall, of the 2017 OHL Priority Selection. During his time with the Spirit, Millman developed into a reliable two-way defenseman, known for his strong skating ability and offensive contributions, recording 16 goals and 53 assists in 130 OHL games over three seasons. Of those, 13 goals and 31 assists came in his final 58 games, his last season in the OHL.

My scouting report from his NHL Draft year can be found here.

Professional Career

Millman transitioned to professional hockey with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL and the Reading Royals in the ECHL. Despite facing some challenges, including a lower-body injury that kept him out for about two months during the 2021-22 season, Millman demonstrated resilience and determination. He registered eight goals and 17 assists in 36 games with the Royals, proving his capability as a trustworthy defenseman.

This season, Millman played for the Providence Bruins in the AHL and the Maine Mariners in the ECHL after signing as a free agent. His performance continued to improve, with notable contributions on both ends of the ice. He has posted 5 goals and 5 assists in 34 games to date with Providence and has been one of their better blueliners.

Scouting Report

Millman is a left-shot defenseman standing at 6’1″ and weighing 174 lbs. He is known for his strong skating ability, which allows him to transition smoothly between offense and defense. His offensive instincts are evident in his ability to join the rush and contribute to the power play. Defensively, Millman is reliable and can be trusted to make smart decisions under pressure.

Strengths:

Skating: Millman’s strong skating ability is one of his standout attributes. He can move swiftly and efficiently, making him a valuable asset in both offensive and defensive situations.

Offensive Contributions: Millman has shown a knack for joining the rush and contributing to the power play. He is not a gambler and choses his options to jump into the offense carefully. His vision and passing ability make him a threat in the offensive zone.

Defensive Reliability: Millman is also a dependable defenseman. He makes smart decisions under pressure and can be trusted to play significant minutes. He has an active stick, keeps gaps tight and under control and is above average at puck retrievals and transitioning the other way.  

Areas for Improvement:

Physicality: While Millman is a reliable defenseman, adding more physicality to his game could enhance his effectiveness, especially in the NHL. He could still add some bulk to his frame and that would benefit him when it comes to physical battles.

Consistency: Maintaining a high level of play consistently will be crucial for Millman as he continues to develop. He needs to find that consistency from shift-to-shift as well as game-to-game.

NHL Potential

Millman’s journey has been marked by steady development and resilience. While he has shown promise in the AHL and ECHL, the transition to the NHL will require continued growth and improvement. His strong skating ability, offensive contributions, and defensive reliability make him a candidate for NHL consideration. However, he will need to enhance his physicality and consistency to secure a spot in the NHL.

In conclusion, Mason Millman has some of the potential required to make it to the NHL, but it will depend on his continued development and ability to adapt to the higher level of competition. For now, he remains a valuable player in the AHL, with the slim yet possibility of breaking into the NHL in the future.

I’m probably in the minority here, but I believe he deserves an extra long look by the Bruins for a two-way NHL deal. Even if the NHL is out of his reach, he would be a piece needed in Providence in the immediate future.

In case you missed it, here are the players we previously looked at: Michael DiPietro; Georgii Merkulov; Brett Harrison; Fabian Lysell; Frederic Brunet; Trevor Kuntar; Riley Duran; John Farinacci; Jackson Edward; Ryan Mast.