Milwaukee Admirals’ team dog 'Miller' boosts playoff morale

MILWAUKEE - It wasn't an easy road for the Milwaukee Admirals to make it to the postseason. The team has a young roster and a season record of 32-33. With grit and determination, as well as some new help behind the scenes, the Admirals are taking on the Manitoba Moose in round one. 

As the Admirals take the ice for the Calder Cup Playoffs, the team has its MVP cheering them on every step of the way. 

Meet the Admirals' MVP

What they're saying:

"He means more than I can even describe to me," said Luke Eichas, the Admirals' Equipment Manager. "He’s my best friend, he always makes me smile. He's funny, he's goofy, he's awesome."

"He's a great addition to our team," said left winger Daniel Carr. 

This teammate though, isn't lacing up skates or scoring goals.

Meet Miller. The Admirals' MVP — Most Valuable Pup. 

"I got him over the last summer," Eichas said. "He's a 1-year-old golden retriever."

Pup growing up in the clubhouse

Dig deeper:

Miller is quite literally growing up in the clubhouse, belonging to the team's equipment manager, Luke Eichas. 

"I'm the guy that's behind the scenes ordering jerseys, pucks, sticks, anything logistics and how the gear travels from team to team," Eichas explained. 

Where you see Eichas, you'll probably see Miller.  

"I envisioned him coming to work with me, spending the days with me and kind of being the rink dog that he is," Eichas said. "It's developed even more than I thought."

From keeping Eichas company while sharpening skates and snoozing in the office, Miller's schedule is jam-packed. 

What they're saying:

"As soon as practice is over, he'll go greet everybody," Eichas mentioned. "He goes and greets anybody from the security guard to the cleaners. There are more people here that know who he is than know who I am."

The players love their rink dog too. Just ask left winger Daniel Carr. 

"You can tell this is Miller's favorite place," said Carr. "He's so loved here, and he has so much fun."

It's only fitting that Miller is named after a hockey player, Ryan Miller, a former Buffalo Sabres goalie. 

Where is Miller's favorite place?

What we know:

Miller loves watching practice, playing with pucks, and chewing on a hockey stick, but his favorite part of being at Panther Arena? The ice. 

"Oh my God, I can't keep him away," Eichas joked. "He's watching practice. He's out on the ice. I've caught him a couple of times just walking on the ice by himself, just running around. He can't get away from it. It's his favorite thing in the world."

Miller doesn't just bring a boost of fun to the workday; he also keeps spirits high for the team — win or lose.

"Pro hockey season's a long year and there's a lot of ups and downs," Carr explained.  "I think, especially during the downtimes, it's great to have Miller here and kind of lightening the mood around the dressing room."

"I think he's a great morale booster for the guys," Eichas added. "If we're in a slump or if we're having a bad day, I just let him loose in the room. He just goes up to every single person, just sniffs them and licks their face."

Miller and the hockey fans

What they're saying:

Miller brings that joy to everybody, even the fans. 

"I brought him out in the tunnel and people are giving him treats and saying hello to him, and he's jumping up and just like smelling them and letting them pat him," Eichas said of the fan interaction. 

"He brings so much joy everywhere he goes," Carr said. "He's a very good dog, and he's a very loved dog, and he gives that back two-fold, ten-fold over."

"He's my best friend," Eichas added. "He is always there."

Admirals in the playoffs

What's next:

The Milwaukee Admirals won their first matchup against the Manitoba Moose in postseason play. They'll face off again on Friday night, April 24, at 7 p.m. in Winnipeg.

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