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Colin Miller

Eastern Notes: Miller vs. Miller, Koivula

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The Boston Bruins look to be in good shape when it comes to the upcoming expansion draft. However, the biggest decision that the club must make is who to protect as their third defenseman, according to Joseph Ochs of The Hockey Writers. He writes that forwards are basically set with Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, David Krejci, David Pastrnak, David Backes, Riley Nash and Ryan Spooner. While Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug are obvious keepers on defense, the team will have to make a decision on the two Millers: Kevan Miller and Colin Miller. Ochs states that while they may share the same team and same name, they are totally different players.

The 29-year-old Kevan Miller just finished his fourth season. The rugged, defensive punisher has played more than 200 games, but also has missed a lot of time on injured reserve. While he only tallied three goals and 10 assists on the year, he is one of the team’s top penalty killers and teamed with Chara to make a solid second defensive unit. His improvements, despite missing the first 19 games due to injury, have been evident and is awareness and confidence have turned him into a top defenseman. The veteran defenseman is locked up until 2019-20 at $2.5MM.

However, the 24-year-old Colin Miller had developed quickly for Boston. He is younger with a higher upside and finished his second season with six goals and seven assists in 61 games. He is more of a well-rounded defenseman and set an AHL All-Star record in 2015 with a 104 mph slapshot. On top of that, he is only owed $1.0MM next year and then hits restricted free agency, so he will be under team control for several more years.

The Bruins may have it easier than many other NHL teams, but they will have to make a decision on the two blueliners soon.

  • New York Islanders prospect Otto Koivula was named Rookie of the Year in the Finnish Liiga, playing with Ilves. The fourth-round draft pick in 2016 had a breakout year in the Finland veteran league with a 10 goal and 20 assist season in 50 games. Koivula, the 120th pick in last year’s draft, was actually acquired by the Islanders in a trade on draft day when they traded a 2017 fourth-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers to acquire the pick to select the left wing. The 18-year-old was playing for the Finnish junior league when he was drafted and had just finished a season in which he scored 26 goals and 32 assists for 58 points.

Injury Notes: Miller, Polak, Alzner

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The Boston Bruins will welcome back Colin Miller to their lineup against the Ottawa Senators tonight, taking the place of Tommy Cross on the blueline. The Bruins are down 2-1, and have had a myriad of injuries on their back end with Torey Krug, Brandon Carlo and Adam McQuaid all missing time. They’ll hope Miller can help them out, as he’ll skate beside John-Michael Liles tonight.

Here are some more updates from around the league…

  • Roman Polak underwent successful surgery yesterday to fix his broken leg, and will now be on a long road to recovery. Tom Gulitti of NHL.com relays that he’ll stay in the hospital for a few days before starting down that road, which will have to include finding a job this summer. Polak will be an unrestricted free agent come July 1st, and with the Maple Leafs likely looking to make improvements on the blue line from this season there may be no room for him. After a brutal start, Polak somewhat turned his game around and should find a role somewhere in the league should he fully recover in time for the start of the season.
  • The Washington Capitals have their own injury on the back end, as Karl Alzner will indeed be out for their game tonight. The defenseman skated on his own after practice according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post, which is the first time he’s been on the ice in several days. Alzner will also be a UFA this summer, but unlike Polak will be sure to get several multi-year offers. Though his overall games-played streak was broken when he missed game 3, he has still played in every single Capitals’ regular season game for the past seven seasons. His durability and consistency will be much sought-after around the league.
  • The Caps had a scare when Marcus Johansson crashed into Braden Holtby at practice, but all involved said he’s okay and won’t miss any time. After another elite regular season, Holtby hasn’t played up to his lofty playoff past yet, holding just a .914 save percentage through three games. Prior to this year, he had put up a .937 mark in the postseason.
  • Paul Stastny was on the ice at Blues’ practice, but he will not play tonight. Stastny hasn’t played yet in the first round series, but is one of the Blues’ most important forwards when healthy. With the Blues up 3-0, they’ll take their time with the centerman.

Bruins Notes: Krejci, C. Miller, Morrow, Subban

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Fresh off a 2-1 Game One win against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night without three starters in David Krejci, Torey Krug, and Brandon Carlo, it appears that the Boston Bruins will have to line up for Game Two with an even more short-handed roster. While the team has until their matinee puck drop on Saturday to make any official announcement, it sounds as though defenseman Colin Miller will join the growing list of injuries. Miller, who left the previous game after suffering a lower body injury on a trip from Mark Borowiecki, was on the ice for practice today, but left early due to pain and discomfort. After practice, head coach Bruce Cassidy made it sound very unlikely that Miller would be available for the next game.

With Miller out, in addition to Krug and Carlo, Joe Morrow is the next man up to slot in on the blue line. Morrow, a former first-round pick and a piece of the Tyler Seguin trade, has not been able to work his way into regular play time in years with the Bruins. With John-Michael Liles in the fold this season, Morrow was bumped down to eighth on the depth chart and has not played in almost three months. However, the Bruins were able to beat the Senators with just five defenseman for most of Game One, so even a cold Morrow could be an upgrade as Boston looks to take a stranglehold on the series with another road win.

  • Having Krejci back would certainly go a long way to help the Bruins take a 2-0 series lead, but Cassidy confirmed that Boston’s highest-paid player will miss another game. Cassidy did add the qualifier that “as of today” he would miss the game, and Krejci did suit up for warm-ups before being a late scratch in Game One,  however he missed practice today and all signs point to the Bruins playing is safe with their third-highest scorer.

Snapshots: Eichel, Panarin, Bruins, Letang

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Jack Eichel wasn’t happy at his year-end press conference, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be in Buffalo for a long time. Sabres’ GM Tim Murray told Bill Hoppe of the Times Herald that he hopes to work out an extension this summer for the young superstar. Eichel will be heading into the final year of his entry-level deal in 2017-18, and will be deserving of a huge raise should the Sabres buy out any free agent years. A four year extension would make him an unrestricted free agent at the end of it, and every year after that will cost quite a bit extra.

Should the Sabres choose to go a shorter route they could keep costs down but risk pushing Eichel closer to free agency. Murray also told Hoppe that he’d like to re-sign Brian Gionta, the team captain and long-time NHLer. The 38-year old had another solid season with 15 goals and 35 points, and is a huge part of the leadership group that wants to help Buffalo back to the playoffs. Eichel has mentioned Gionta several times over the years in helping him adapt to life in the NHL

  • Stan Bowman wasn’t worried about Artemi Panarin’s bonuses, he tells Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times. The young forward earned a $1.725MM bonus in the final game by scoring and putting himself into a tie for 10th in points among forwards. That’s in addition to his $850K “Schedule A” bonuses for finishing high in various team categories. The Hawks will have to carry much of those bonuses over to next season, but Bowman says he was assuming all season that Panarin would hit them.
  • Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com reports that the Bruins will not bring Torey Krug or Brandon Carlo to Ottawa for game 2, still listing them day-to-day. Colin Miller, who exited last night’s game after just seven minutes of ice time, was seen limping around and is questionable for Saturday’s game. Miller was taken out by a knee from Mark Borowiecki last night, and left the game immediately. It will be interesting to see who the Bruins lean on while their defensemen nurse injuries; Charlie McAvoy played over 24 minutes in his debut.
  • Kris Letang underwent the scheduled neck surgery successfully, and is on track to return in four to six months. The operation was to correct a herniated disc, and will sideline him for much of training camp if not the beginning of the regular season. The Penguins won their first game of the playoffs last night, but will be hard fought to go all the way without their superstar defenseman.
  • Ron Hextall spoke to the media in Philadelphia (including Dave Isaac of the Courier-Post), and revealed that both Dale Weise and Brandon Manning will undergo surgery to correct various ailments. He also said that assistant coach Joe Mullen will not be retained for next season. Mullen has been with the Flyers since 2007, working with several different head coaches.

Devils-Bruins Notes: Lappin, Prout, Stafford, McPhee

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Ahead of tonight’s road match-up with the Boston Bruins, the New Jersey Devils have recalled rookie winger Nick Lappin on an emergency basis from the AHL’s Albany Devils. Lappin is expected to get the call tonight, as the 24-year-old forward has worked his way back into the lineup. Lappin has four goals and three assists in 35 games with New Jersey this season, but was sent down to the minors on January 12th and had yet to return to the lineup. While in Albany, Lappin was nearly a point-per-game player, with nine goals and eleven assists in 24 contests. Lappin is in just his second pro season since leaving Brown University, and no matter how many games he plays for the Devils down the stretch, he will not be eligible for exposure in the Expansion Draft. GM Ray Shero will have to look elsewhere on the roster for the solution to his coverage problem.

  • A pair of deadline day acquisitions will make their debuts tonight. With Andy Greene out of the lineup for personal reasons, Dalton Prout will get a chance to show the Devils what he brings to the table. The 26-year-old tough guy had only played in 15 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets this season before being traded for Kyle Quincey at the deadline, but brings a physical game and hard-nosed presence to any game that he is a part of. With another year left on his contract, Prout is looking to impress his new team and carve out a role for himself in the future. In the short-term, he is likely trying to play well enough tonight to get into the Devils’ lineup tomorrow, against his former Blue Jackets team.
  • On the other side of the ice, Drew Stafford will get into his first game with the Bruins since being acquired on Wednesday. It has been a tough season for Stafford with the Winnipeg Jets, as injuries have limited him to just 40 games, and he has managed to score just 13 points in that sample size. However, Boston knows all too well how dangerous Stafford can be when he’s on his game. As a member of the Buffalo Sabres, Stafford was a consistent goal-scoring threat and tended to have some of his best games against the Bruins. Coach Bruce Cassidy hopes that Stafford can get back to his productive ways skating on a line with Ryan Spooner and Frank Vatrano, who have both been on fire since the coaching change.
  • With the trade deadline over with, Vegas Golden Knights GM George McPhee is out scouting with a clearer picture of who might be available to his team on June 21st when the new expansion team will be picked. Tonight, he’ll be taking in the Devils vs. Bruins in Boston, likely with an eye on defenseman. Although Boston and New Jersey are not exactly known for their blue line depth, neither team looks to have many attractive options up front to be exposed in the Expansion Draft. Instead, the Devils will have to pick four of Greene, Prout, Damon Severson, John Moore, Ben Lovejoy, and Jon Merrill to expose, while the Bruins can only protect one of Adam McQuaid, Colin Miller, and Kevan Miller to go along with Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug.  

Bruins And Avalanche Talking Trade

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After Colorado Avalanche GM Joe Sakic was seen speaking with Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney during the second period of the Bruins’ 4-0 shutout of the Montreal Canadiens last night, the internet has exploded with speculation of a potential deal in the works. The expectations are not unprecedented; it was reported earlier this season that the Bruins were interested in the captain of the last-place Avs, available winger Gabriel Landeskog. However, they balked at the asking price of a package including impressive rookie defenseman Brandon Carlo and those talks apparently had fallen apart.

They seem to be back on now though. The Boston Globe’s Fluto Shinzawa writes this morning that both executives are under immense pressure and have been in constant communication lately. Sakic’s squad is one of the worst in recent memory, while Sweeney’s team has missed the playoffs two years in a row, despite a deep and talented roster, and just fired the best coach in team history in an effort to get back to the postseason. While many Bruins fans would like to see the team refrain from making any desperate moves, as trading young players has not worked out for them over the last decade (see: Joe Thornton, Kris Versteeg, Blake Wheeler, Tyler Seguin, Johnny Boychuk, Dougie Hamilton, ect.), Boston undoubtedly needs some scoring help, both this year and in the future, as Sweeney said himself recently.

With lots of talent in the system, both up front and on the blue line, Boston has the pieces to make a major trade if they so choose. What they lack, is immediate help at left wing. Brad Marchand and Frank Vatrano have top left side spots locked up long-term, but Matt Beleskey has had a down year after career-highs in 2016-17 and Tim Schaller is not a top-nine option.  Rookie Peter Cehlarik, recently recalled from the AHL’s Providence Bruins where he has been the best player all year long, played great in front of Sakic last night, but is a pass-first player on a team in search of a sniper. Former college star Danton Heinen failed to make a difference in his Boston tryouts earlier this year and 2015 first-rounder Jake DeBrusk has failed to earn his first career call-up yet. The Bruins most promising left wing option in the system may be Marchand clone Jesse Gabrielle or Notre Dame star Anders Bjork.

Thus, the desire to acquire Landeskog, if that is Sweeney’s intention, makes sense. However, the cost could be too high. Shinzawa believes that the likes of Cehlarik, center Ryan Spooner, or defenseman Colin Miller may not be enough for the Avalanche and that they are stuck on the Colorado-native Carlo. The Bruins first instinct to reject even the thought of moving the young blue liner is correct though. At just 20 years old, the 6’5″ Carlo has played major minutes, both regular strength and special teams, all season long and has learned under one of the best, Zdeno Chara. He has size, strength, skating ability, and now experience at a very young age. Would the Bruins really trade a player with the makings of a top-pair defenseman for the next decade? Shinzawa does note that they have top prospect Charlie McAvoy, perhaps the only untouchable in the system, waiting in the wings and three NHL-caliber defenseman on the right side in Colin Miller, Kevan Miller, and Adam McQuaid. However, he acknowledges that the upcoming Expansion Draft may strip them of one of those three. An argument can also be made that Kevan Miller is  top-six defenseman in Boston by necessity, not talent. The Bruins are right to consider McAvoy as a non-starter, but Carlo should be in that group too, and originally was. The Bruins have been on the hunt for a top-pair replacement for Chara as well, as the big man has one year remaining on his contract before he surely retires, and moving Carlo would deny them of what could be the perfect in-house replica. Unless Sweeney had a change of heart, perhaps he is trying to entice Sakic with a combination of a potential replacement for Landeskog on the left side (Spooner, Cehlarik, Beleskey, Heinen), another top defensive prospect like World Junior standouts Jakub Zboril, Jeremy Lauzon, or Ryan Lindgren, and one of a plethora of strong center prospects – another major need for the Avs – like Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Trent Frederic, Ryan Donato, or Ryan Fitzgerald. In fact, Sakic will reportedly take in the Beanpot Tournament final tonight in Boston, featuring Boston University and Harvard, and will get to see Bruins prospects Forsbacka-Karlsson, Donato, McAvoy, and Wiley Sherman in action. Could that ties into the deal?

There are a lot of question marks remaining about the targets of both teams. After all, the Carlo asking price may have Sweeney moving on to other Colorado targets like former Bruin Jarome Iginla, winger Blake Comeau, or rental defenseman Fedor Tyutin.  A deal is far from a sure thing, but the Boston Bruins and Colorado Avalanche are definitely talking trades with about two weeks remaining before the March 1st NHL Trade Deadline. Keep an eye on these two teams moving forward.

Bruins Scouting Ducks-Wild Game

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It would be a surprise to no one that the Boston Bruins’ brass are out watching other teams. While the Bruins are still clinging to a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division, currently tied with the Ottawa Senators for second with 52 points, that position is only temporary. The Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs, just two points behind, have six games in hand on Boston. They are currently doing battle with each other, which could result in a three-way tie with a Toronto win, a drop to third in the division with a Senators win, or the worst-case scenario, a Leafs OT-win in which both results would occur. Regardless, the Bruins are not going to be able to hang on to their spot long with the way they have been playing. Boston has lost three straight, including shutouts by the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Islanders and a crushing 6-5 shootout defeat to the Detroit Redwings wherein they blew two three-goal leads. The Bruins have only won six of their last sixteen games and those six wins have come against four teams that are struggling as much or more than they are: the Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, Florida Panthers (twice), and Buffalo Sabres (twice). Beyond just wins and losses, there are rumors about coach Claude Julien, reported turmoil in the front office surrounding president Cam Neely, injuries on defense to Kevan and Colin Miller, a 16-game goal-less streak for early-season superstar David Pastrnak, and ongoing issues with line chemistry. The Bruins need a shake-up to save their season, and everyone knows it.

So, when Minnesota Wild beat writer Michael Russo reported that Bruins GM Don Sweeney was on the press box list at tonight’s game, with the Wild hosting the Anaheim Ducks, it came as no surprise. Both teams are known for their immense lack of talented depth on defense, something that Boston would definitely be interested in. While the team has been shut out three times this month, their scoring has actually been trending upward. Patrice Bergeron has begun to shake off his early struggles, Frank Vatrano has been a shot in the arm since his return from injury, and Brad Marchand and Torey Krug have remained on fire. The recent return of Matt Beleskey should help to add some scoring and balance out the forward lines (much-needed), while the AHL’s Providence Bruins, who won 9-1 tonight, have been explosive and could potentially offer support up front. That’s not to say that the Bruins, who will have about $17MM in cap space by the time the NHL Trade Deadline rolls around, won’t still look to add an impending free agent forward with some finish, but despite appearances, the offense should be able to figure itself out in the short-term. The defense is a different story. While the Bruins are loaded with defensive talent in the system, none of it is on its way this year and maybe not next year either, and the Bruins need some help now. Krug has four goals and 25 assists, but has also had his issues in his own end. His pair mate Adam McQuaid has had a nice bounce-back season, but offers little in the way of puck movement and offense. Same goes for the top pairing of Zdeno Chara and Brandon Carlo, who have been one of the better shutdown duos in the league this season, but are slowing down as a 39-year-old and a rookie respectively. John-Michael Liles, an impending free agent, has just recently returned from injury and has yet to make a major difference. Colin Miller, though he has upside, was in and out of the lineup even before his injury, and Kevan Miller, also injured, is likely better suited as an extra man. The Bruins need a legitimate top-four defenseman for this year and for the near future, and both the Wild and Ducks provide intriguing trade partners.

As it stands right now, Anaheim and Minnesota are both guaranteed to lose a top-four caliber defenseman in the upcoming NHL Expansion Draft, if the Vegas Golden Knights choose to select that player. A team can either protect seven forwards and three defenseman or eight skaters total, allowing them to protect a fourth defenseman. Neither situation works out particularly well for either team. The Ducks will be forced to protect veteran Kevin Bieksa, due to his no-movement clause, and will likely choose to protect young cornerstone blue liners Hampus Lindholm, Sami Vatanen, and Cam Fowler as well, even if it means leaving a promising forward like Jakob Silfverberg exposed. However, Vegas could choose to instead take another good young defenseman in Josh Manson or potentially Simon Depres. Similarly, the Wild too are expected to protect four defenseman, selecting from Ryan Suter (a veritable lock), Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, Marco Scandella, and Matt Dumba. One way or another, one of those d-men will be exposed and almost certainly scooped up by the Golden Knights. So, with both teams fighting for position atop the Western Conference and with their eye on a Stanley Cup, Anaheim and Minnesota also have to be thinking about trading a defenseman. They would much rather get something in a trade rather than nothing in the draft, even if that means dealing away talent in a Cup-contender season. Armed with a deep prospect system and quality forwards they may willing to part with, such as David Krejci, Ryan Spooner, and Jimmy Hayes, the Bruins would be an interesting suitor for either team. With Don Sweeney in attendance, watching two teams that are facing a difficult situation and may feel like pressured to make a move, an important shake-up trade could be on the horizon in Boston. Could it be the revitalized Fowler? The youngster Dumba? A more Bruin-like player like Scandella or Manson? Only time will tell, but the connection between the Bruins and these defense-deep teams will be something to keep an eye on as we head toward the Trade Deadline in just over a month.

Bruins Notes: Marchand, Miller, Miller

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In his 500th NHL game yesterday, Brad Marchand celebrated in style. The pesky 28-year old scored five points (2G, 3A) and continued proving he’s one of the NHLs brightest stars. After setting a career high in goals (37) and points (60) last season, Marchand is on pace to shatter his assist high this year while setting the point mark once again. His 43 points in 46 games rank among the top 10 in the NHL and leads the Bruins by 10.

Remember, Marchand was a third-round pick for the Bruins in 2006 and was thought of as an under-sized bottom six-type player. Instead, he’s turned into one of the most consistent goal scorers in the NHL, racking up at least 20 in every season except the lockout-shortened 2012-13, when he scored 18. With 17 this year and no signs of slowing down, he may post back-to-back 30+ goal seasons and prove that he should eventually be talked about as a Hart trophy candidate.

  • In all the fun that was Marchand’s 500th came some bad news, as Kevan Miller was knocked out by Jakub Voracek during the second period. The defenseman has suffered a concussion and is “in the protocol” according to head coach Claude Julien. In Joe Haggerty’s latest column for CSNNE, he reports that Miller was absent from practice today and will be out indefinitely. Voracek did not receive any supplementary discipline from the league for the hit.
  • The Bruins will be without either Miller, as Colin Miller was also missing from today’s practice due to the lower-body injury that he’s been dealing with. Haggerty reports that Miller did skate on his own before practice however, meaning his return may be on the horizon. Julien seemed unaffected by the news of both Millers, saying “we’ve got some depth at that position. We still have enough guys up here to get through, and hopefully we’ll get some guys back sooner rather than later.” Joe Morrow will likely figure back into the lineup in their absence.

Atlantic Division Notes: Gallant, Ryan, Miller, McQuaid

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The Florida Panthers decision to fire head coach Gerard Gallant earlier this season was met with harsh criticism in some circles of the hockey community. It was widely assumed the dismissal was a reflection of the new front office structure’s belief in analytics, something the former player and long time coach may not have been completely on board with,  as opposed to Gallant’s coaching ability. Gallant is known as an old-school coach who values “intangibles” and other traits not ordinarily appreciated by analytically-driven front offices and it was assumed this generated a disconnect between management and the bench boss. However, according to Gallant his termination had little to do with his feelings on analytics and likely had more to do with his stubbornness, as Pierre LeBrun of ESPN wrote recently:

“I wasn’t fired because of analytics,” he continued. “I loved coaching the Florida Panthers and I’m a stubborn guy at times; maybe I said a little too much, maybe I gave my opinion a little bit too much. Maybe when they asked for my opinion, I have an honest opinion and sometimes it doesn’t help you. Maybe it wasn’t always what they wanted to hear. I don’t know where it went from there …”

Gallant, like many coaches, actually did utilize information provided to his staff by the team’s analysts and described analytics as “a tool.”

“For me, analytics is certainly part of coaching, but it’s not the whole thing. In my mind, if I take a job, analytics is part of it for sure, 25 to 30 percent, whatever percentage you want to put on it. It’s definitely a tool. If you get the right information, you’re happy with that. Every coach uses analytics. We all go over the same stuff.”

Of course it should be noted that while Gallant admitted to utilizing analytics, it can be inferred from his comments that it was done to assist with lineup decisions and on-ice strategies, leaving open the possibility that he didn’t necessarily agree with analytically-driven decisions made by the front office with regards to player acquisitions. It’s certainly possible Gallant voiced his displeasure over certain moves the front office made over the summer and that led in part to his dismissal.

Nevertheless, despite how it turned out in Florida, Gallant is respected within the industry and it’s likely he will have his choice of head coaching jobs this summer, assuming he isn’t offered and subsequently accepts a job prior to the offseason.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic Division:

  • Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun examines the Senators recent decision to scratch forward Bobby Ryan, and wonders what the “bigger picture” is with the player and Ottawa. Brennan points out that Ryan, a four-time 30-goal scorer, ranks 12th on the team in scoring and theorizes his lack of production may have served as justification for the benching. However, as the scribe points out, Ryan’s ice time, or rather the lack thereof, has likely led to the 29-year-old right winger’s lackluster output. Ryan currently ranks eighth among Senator forwards in overall ATOI (Average Time On Ice) and is seventh on the team in power play ice time. For his career, Ryan has registered just more than one-quarter of his points on the power play but this season has just one goal and three points on the man advantage. Brennan wonders why the Senators, who rank 22nd in the NHL in goals, would not find a way to get one of their most skilled players more ice time. Ultimately, as Brennan writes, the situation is one that bears watching for the rest of the season.
  • The Boston Bruins, and in particular David Backes, were undoubtedly pleased to come away from St. Louis with a 5 – 3 win over the Blues. However the victory didn’t come without cost as the team lost right-shot blue liners Colin Miller and Adam McQuaid to injury during the game. As Jason Brough of Pro Hockey Talk writes, the losses of Miller and McQuaid forced the B’s to finish out the game with just four defenders. After the game, Claude Julien could provide no information other than the two were being evaluated by the team’s medical staff. Today the team announced that Miller is doubtful for tomorrow’s contest in Nashville. If he can’t go the Bruins could insert either John-Michael Liles or Joe Morrow into the lineup with the other available to draw in if McQuaid is ruled out.

The Boston Bruins’ Sudden Defensive Depth

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For those keeping up with the World Junior Championships, it’s a story line that has been one of the focuses of the tournament. Although the Boston Bruins couldn’t quite match the nine Philadelphia Flyers prospects who made their junior teams and were one of five NHL organizations with five prospects taking part, the Bruins sent a league-high four defensemen to the World Juniors. While many think of the Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, or Anaheim Ducks when talking defensive depth, or maybe even the Carolina Hurricanes when considering the whole system, the Bruins have now entered the conversation as having maybe the best defensive depth in the NHL. A team that has struggled in their own end over the past few seasons has turned it around in 2016-17, a top five team in goals against all season, and there’s even more help on the way.

The Bruins do not just have okay defenders playing in the World Juniors, they have future stars. It starts with the United States, where 2016 first-rounder Charlie McAvoy and 2016 second-rounder Ryan Lindgren have been great. McAvoy, a sophomore at Boston University, has a goal and three assists so far in the tournament, which leads all U.S. defensemen and ranks fifth overall on the tourney’s best team so far. This season at BU, the 14th overall pick has 13 points in 17 games and is on pace to crush his freshman year totals. McAvoy projects as an elite puck-mover and play-maker (as well as a crushing open ice hitter) at the next level. Meanwhile, Lindgren is in his freshman year at the University of Minnesota and is developing into more of a shutdown defender. Lindgren has just one assist at the World Juniors, but his defense has drawn rave reviews. His play for the Golden Gophers has been similar – less offensive production and more defensive domination –  but the Bruins are always happy to have physicality in their lineup. Besides, they have plenty of offensive defenseman in the system. For example, Canada’s Jeremy Lauzon. Lauzon has a goal and an assist at the World Juniors, and has been nearly a point-per-game player as the captain of the QMJHL’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies this season, despite dealing with injuries. Last year, Lauzon finished the season with 50 points in 46 games for the Huskies and following that performance, nearly made the Boston roster out of camp this season. A late second-round pick in 2015, Lauzon appears to be a steal in the making for the Bruins. A more obvious 2015 selection was 13th overall pick Jakub Zboril, the fourth of the World Junior defenseman, from the Czech Republic. Zboril had somewhat of a down season in 2015-16 with just 20 points in 50 games for the QMJHL’s Saint John’s Sea Dogs. However, after a strong camp in Boston, he’s having a bounce-back year with 18 points already in just 20 games. He’s also added four assists for the Czechs at the World Juniors, good enough to tie for the team lead in points. As of now, Zboril may be the most complete defensive prospect in the Bruins system right now.

Armed with those four top blue line prospects, some of which might fight for a spot as soon as next season and some of whom will be ready in the next few years, the Bruins have some future depth stored up. Yet, they also have future depth on the team right now. Brandon Carlo has been a revelation for Boston in 2015-16. The 2015 second-round selection, the fourth of six picks in the first two rounds that year, is the first to make it to the NHL, and the Bruins are glad that he did. Carlo has stepped in immediately as a top pair defenseman and is quickly establishing himself as a future franchise defender. The 6’5″ 20-year-old is playing alongside veteran star Zdeno Chara, a big man’s perfect mentor, and eating up about 22 minutes per game. The massive American defender has already become a fan favorite in Boston and seems likely to have a long, successful career ahead of him. He won’t be alone either. Teammates Torey Krug, Adam McQuaid, and Colin Miller appear to be in it for the long haul as well. Since signing with the Bruins out of Michigan State and having a surprise breakout season in 2013-14, Krug has been a mainstay of the Boston blue line. A consistent 40-point scorer, Krug was rewarded with a four-year, $21MM contract this summer, and has responded with possibly his best season to date. McQuaid, finally healthy after years of struggling with injury, is playing the best hockey of his career this season. A shutdown defender who is never going to put up a lot points, McQuaid has nevertheless taken his game to the next level this season with improved skating and vision. If he can stay healthy, his two years left at $2.75MM may prove to be a good deal after all. Finally, Miller, who has often been found in the dog house of coach Claude Julien, appears to have finally stuck as a starter in Boston. Acquired as part of the Milan Lucic trade, Miller was an AHL superstar who was expected to be a future centerpiece of the Bruins blue line. He’s on his way there, and his raw offensive talent will likely keep him on track. Miller has another year left at just $1MM, and will then be a restricted free agent who the B’s will look to lock up long-term.

With Chara down to just one year remaining on his contract before his likely retirement (and possible number retirement as well), these latter four represent the new core of the Boston defense. The prior four are the future, forming a strong group of eight defensemen for Bruins fans to look foward to. But wait, there’s more. Former college stars Matt Grzelcyk and Rob O’Gara are down in the AHL with the red-hot Providence Bruins and have looked good in their brief Boston appearances this season. Both project to be NHL regulars. Some even hold out hope that press box frequenter and former first-round pick Joe Morrow will be able to make something of his career. And what of free agency? Boston appears to be one of, if not the top destination for one of best available players on the 2017 free agent market, Kevin Shattenkirk. The St. Louis Blues puck-mover has made it known that he wants to be on the East coast, and the city where he played his college hockey at Boston University, which is also just hours from his hometown in Connecticut, seems like his top choice. Don’t look now but 2018 top free agent defenseman John Carlson has also expressed potential interest in returning to the state he grew up in.

The Bruins have not had much to be happy about over the past few years, especially on defense. However, their current and future depth is an embarrassment of riches. They have the potential to almost be too deep on D. The Boston blue line has a very bright future. So there’s something to be happy about.

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