(Buffalo, NY) Blocker and pads are all well and good, but Quentin Miller’s life is also guitar, piano and bass.
The Canadian hopeful, who is participating in the rookie tournament this weekend, discreetly published his first musical project on Friday, entitled The Sound of my Thoughts. A work of six short pieces, all instrumental – “I sing very badly. It’s better if I don’t sing! “, he warns.
It’s on Apple Music, like Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber’s LPs, but the Guardian has no illusions about its number of downloads.
“It’s under the name q. miller. I tried looking and even I had trouble finding it! he says, laughing. I don’t know if people will listen to it, but that doesn’t matter, I do it for my pleasure. »
He started there three years ago. His older brother, Caleb, had bought “a piece of software for $800 and he didn’t seem to use it, so I tried it and I loved it,” he says. .
“I started playing guitar two years ago. I learn on my own. I’m not great yet, but I’m getting by. I had a bass at my party last year. And the piano. I try to learn songs by ear. »
Music is a bit of balance in the life of the Ahuntsic resident. His studio is in Quebec, where he has been playing for a year as a member of the Remparts. “We have training in the morning, then school. I’ll come back around 3-4 p.m. Afterwards, I make a little music, I relax and that’s often where I produce. I play guitar, trying to find chords. Often my songs aren’t that good, but sometimes they come out good! »
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE CANADIAN HOCKEY CLUB INC.
Quentin Miller
He assures that this time away from the rinks, watching highlights on YouTube, also benefits him on the ice.
Music can help me a lot with my hockey. What can hurt guys is that they’re in hockey all the time, all the time and it burns you. Music helps me in my free time to put my brain elsewhere, so when I get to hockey, I’m 100% focused and I don’t think about anything else. It’s a way to put more energy into my hockey without burning out, to vary my world, to calm down a little. It feels good.
Quentin Miller
The aviator
Luckily, William Rousseau, who shared the job with Miller last year, also participated in the rookie tournament, as a guest of the Boston Bruins.
The two former associates (Rousseau was traded to the Huskies in June) almost clashed on Saturday, since Miller was defending the CH net. But Rousseau occupied the role of reserve with the Bruins. The two took advantage of the warm-up to chat, before Miller delivered a 26-save performance in a 4-1 win. “I spoke to him, I gave him a little advice. He saw the puck well all game. For a goalkeeper, when everything seems easy, it’s because you’re playing well,” says Rousseau.
What about Miller’s music? “I haven’t listened yet, but it’s fun to have passions outside of hockey. For me, it’s aviation. It’s important to get going in hockey, especially for goalies. »
GUILLAUME LEFRANÇOIS, THE PRESS
William Rousseau
“For me, it’s aviation. » Rousseau drops the information, as if it were a banal element.
“It comes from a trip to Europe with my parents, I had a crush on the airspace. It’s been three years, I have my private licenses, I’m in the process of doing my commercial license. I was lucky to get the bite pretty quickly. Players take certain classes just to say they’re in school. If hockey didn’t work out, I’d have that. »
He started his courses in Quebec, but will finish them in Rouyn. “Full-time, I would be six months away from starting,” Rousseau calculates. But the process is long to get hired. You do what they call crawling. You work for them, but you don’t steal. It’s about getting to know you. You start, you accumulate hours and when you reach 1500 hours, you apply to Air Canada. »
This is an interesting alternative for a goalkeeper who, at 6 ft 1, is considered too small by some recruiters.
“The objective no 1 remains professional hockey. If the doors close, unfortunately, I will have my passion. It is special. I was lucky to develop that quite young. »
The roles reversed
Last season, in Quebec, William Rousseau was in an enviable position. Number 1 goalkeeper of the Remparts, the net belonged to him. Quentin Miller therefore spent the end of the season sitting on the bench, just in case. Miller played in the Remparts’ final game of the season on March 25. Once in the playoffs, Rousseau played all 1,109 minutes of play for the Remparts. At the Memorial Cup, Miller was entitled to 14 minutes. Miller’s behavior during these two months without seeing action impressed Rousseau. “Several guys wouldn’t have done their usual preparation knowing they weren’t playing, but he did his drills with the balls, he acted like he was going to play. So I knew that if I had a problem, he would be ready,” notes Rousseau. Despite this quiet end to the season, Miller was drafted at the end of 4e tower, at 128e rank, by the Habs in June. At 18, he will be able to spend the next two seasons with the Remparts. Rousseau has been ignored in the last three drafts, but still attracts the attention of teams, as evidenced by his invitation from the Bruins to come to Buffalo.