It’s been ten years since Brandon McMillan suited up for a game in the National Hockey League, but he’s been spending the last decade in Europe, primarily in the KHL.
Last season, the Richmond, British Columbia native played for KHL club Kunlun Red Star, putting up 20 points in 43 games and at the end of the year, he was not re-signed, making him a free agent.
Given that McMillan turned 34 as Kunlun Red Star’s season was coming to an end, it was unclear what the future held for him and if he would continue to play over in Europe or even hang up the skates.
After spending all summer and the first few months of the 2024-25 season as a free agent, Brandon McMillan has found a new home, albeit on a temporary basis for now.
DEL club Schwenninger Wild Wings signs Brandon McMillan
On Monday, the Schwenninger Wild Wings announced that they’ve agreed to terms on a professional tryout contract (PTO) with former NHLer Brandon McMillan.
The Wild Wings shared that because of an delay in the return of Norwegian hockey legend Ken Andre Olimb, the team decided to search for immediate help and identified Brandon McMillan as someone they wanted to bring in.
Brandon McMillan’s National Hockey League career
McMillan was a third-round pick, 85th overall, of the Anaheim Ducks in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, going on to spent 171 games in the National Hockey League with them, the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes and the Vancouver Canucks.
In February 2015, with the Vancouver Canucks searching for some depth, then-General Manager Jim Benning claimed Brandon McMillan off waivers from the Arizona Coyotes.
In five regular season and two Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Vancouver Canucks, McMillan had two points (one goal, one assist), four penalty minutes and was a plus-three.
After the 2014-15 season, the Vancouver Canucks decided not to issue a qualifying offer to Brandon McMillan, making him an unrestricted free agent where he’d go on to sign Ingolstadt ERC in the German DEL.