Port Hope Predators director of hockey operations is heading to Thunder Bay this weekend to do a little ice fishing, and a little hunting. Tim Clayden will be hunting a little game and fishing a little on the ice, for a player the Ontario Junior Hockey League club hopes to wheel in a deal for their leading scorer, Tyler Miller.

"I'll be looking at three hockey clubs," Clayden said. The two Thunder Bay squads, and Miller's home-town team, Fort Frances. All three teams play in the Superior International Junior A Hockey League, which is hosting the Dudley Hewitt Cup this spring.

"Contrary to belief, I think we can still make some noise in the playoffs. We're not throwing in the towel. We're going to help Tyler get back to his home league," Clayden said. In return for Miller, Clayden has been offered a good deal of players who will come to play in Port Hope next season.

“All three teams have offered us players for next season, next season is great, that's fine, but we haven't thrown the towel in. If we get everyone healthy and back on the same page, we're still very much alive in this (Ruddock) division. We know we've had some bad luck, we just need to get our starting goalie back and healthy and get ready for the real season. We're going to make the best deal for our hockey team for the players who came here for the right reasons and continue to play here for the right reasons," Clayden said yesterday.

That said, he said he has "no hard feelings with Tyler. I don't like the pressure he's put on us to move so quickly, he's been here for two-and-a-half years and he wants to go home. He wants his grandparents to see him, he wants to go home to his home league, and that's fine, but he is going to go on our terms and our time line."

With the gaping hole Miller will leave on the ice, Clayden said the Predators are not looking for a carbon-copy sniper.

"One player doesn't make a hockey club, and I'm going to suggest that it's a team game and based on team play. We're not looking for one player to replace Tyler, we're looking for the right player or players to fit the mould of what our coaching staff is looking for: Energy and heart, and the ability to play at both ends of the rink."

Predators head coach Brendan O'Grady has a lot of ice time up for grabs.

"Tyler needs to get moved, he wants to go home, and maybe it's causing some resentment. Tyler is still getting the ice time Tyler needs for us to be successful, and there are quite a few guys who could fill that void, but they have to earn it, it's not expected. Miller was getting a lot of minutes and right now, nobody is stepping up to take it. He's a big-time player in this league, and we'll have to work through it."

"I want to go home and finish my junior career in front of my family and friends," Miller said. "It's a different atmosphere there, the hockey there, and being in my hometown. The league is hosting the Dudley Hewitt Cup this year, and because the league is smaller, it makes it a little easier, and playing in front of my home crowd with 1,500 people for an Ontario championship — it would be the highlight of my life. I'm not homesick, I'm just 20 years old, and I'd like to play at home."

He paused and asked, "Have you ever seen the movie Miracle?" Taking the question to be rhetorical, after a moment, he continued, "When the guy (Jack O'Callahan) asks the other guys why he wanted to play college hockey, and he says it was because he wanted to win the championship? That's how I feel. I've never won a championship before, I've won tournaments, but never something like that. When I was in high school hockey, we hosted the AAA/AAAA tournament, and we got to the quarter-finals and lost. I know what it feels like to lose and I don't want to feel like that again."

While he is excited to head back home to family and friends, Miller said he will be sad to leave his "second home."

"I spent more time here than at home for the last couple years, and it's going to be really difficult to leave. My billets and the owners and the arena staff and minor hockey and the community, everyone's been great. It’ll be hard to leave."

Miller is confident in Clayden’s wheeling and dealing, saying "Tim will work something out. He gets things done. And when I get home, I can promote other kids to come and play down here. It's a win-win for everyone."

As the team’s leading scorer, Miller leaves a gap but said he is confident a young up-and-coming player will get a chance to shine.

"I think guys can step up and take that role. It'll give a chance for that kid on the bench who's been waiting to get some ice time and get experience and show what they can do."

Clayden will return in time for the Predators’ early game Sunday at 1 p.m. (for all those who will be watching the Grey Cup later that day) and Miller hopes to suit up for his final home game, which will see the Predators take on the Pickering Panthers.