The Boston Bruins will start their second round series in a few days, but won’t be getting a key member of their defense back in time. Kevan Miller has suffered a setback in his recovery and is now “week-to-week” according to Bruins GM Don Sweeney. The veteran defenseman did not play in a single game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round.
Miller, 31, played just 39 games for the Bruins this season as he dealt with multiple injuries, but would be a welcome addition if he could find any level of health in the playoffs. The physical defenseman strengthens their right side and would give them an upgrade over the rotation of Connor Clifton and Steven Kampfer. While Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo really carried the weight in the first round, Miller would help balance out the minutes as a reliable option.
Still, the Bruins defense was still good enough to hold the Maple Leafs to three goals in the pair of elimination games they faced at the end of the series. The top two pairings were put out time and again across from Toronto’s best players and almost shut them down completely when it mattered. Depending on what happens tonight in Washington the Bruins could head into the second round as the highest seed remaining in the playoffs and enjoy home ice advantage for as long as they keep playing.
This does not seem like he’s going to be back anytime soon and what’s more frustrating is that I think the Bruins chose to keep Kevan Miller over Adam McQuaid because McQuaid was injured so often.
@wfg1 also Miller is a better player at this point than McQuaid. The guy they really lost to keep Kevin was Colin Miller during the expansion draft.
The Bruins chose to keep Miller over McQuaid because he’s better & because he’s signed through next season while McQuaid is a free agent this summer. McQuaid is injured right now any way.