Tag Archives: bruins

Don Sweeney Defined by Moves He Never Made

It’s hard to criticize a team with a 29-10-8 record, but Don Sweeney has left room for improvement. The Boston Bruins have been a winning machine as of late going 14-0-4 heading into Tuesday’s match-up against the Anaheim Ducks. That is the team’s longest point streak since 1968-1969. Yet even the recent run of success cannot hide what could potentially be an all time mistake by Bruins GM Don Sweeney.

2015 NHL Draft

Hours before the 2015 NHL Draft the Boston Bruins held the 13th, 14th, and 15th overall picks. These picks were acquired by trading away Milan Lucic and Martin Jones to the Kings and Sharks respectively. Everyone covering the team was adamant that Sweeney had plans to move multiple, if not all, of those picks. It turned out Sweeney planned to move up in the draft to take defenseman Noah Hannifin out of Boston College. However, due to lack of execution and a last-minute change of mind Sweeney’s plan fell through.

As a result Sweeney decided to use all three of those draft picks due to the dismay of Bruins fans. Don Sweeney selected defenseman Jacob Zboril, left wing Jake Debrusk, and right wing Zachary Senyshyn. Only Jake Debrusk has made an impact at the NHL level. In a solid rookie campaign so far he has posted 11 goals and 25 points. Meanwhile Zboril and Senyshyn have not been able to get a sniff at the NHL level. Senyshyn has had struggles even cracking the Providence lineup. The Bruins’ entire rebuild has and will continue to be centered around that draft. If only one of those picks turns into a real player then Sweeney is going to feel the heat for it.

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Matthew Barzal

The bigger story from that draft is what could have been. At 16th overall the New York Islanders selected center Matthew Barzal out of the WHL. If you do not know who that is, Barzal is currently leading all rookies in scoring and is in contention for the Calder Trophy. Barzal has been opening eyes around the league scoring 51 points in 52 games and is on pace to finish with 84 points. Barzal also currently has more points than anyone on the Bruins team to add some salt to an already sensitive wound. With Bergeon, and Krejci both on the wrong side of thirty it would have been nice to have an elite offensive center in the Bruins organization. Instead Sweeney decided to reach for Zboril and Senyshyn, who have provided nothing for the Bruins.

Brock Boeser

Another member of the 2015 Draft who is tearing up the league is Brock Boeser. He went 23rd overall to the Vancouver Canucks out of the USHL. Boeser just made a name for himself nationally at the NHL All Star game by winning the MVP over some of the league’s best players. True hockey fans have known who Boeser is for months. The rookie right wing has been lighting the lamp all over the ice with 28 goals and 48 points. The shot this kid has is absolutely insane. He can pick a corner from any spot on the ice. While the Bruins have some good offensive players none of them have the potential that Boeser has. He may have the highest offensive potential of any rookie in the NHL. The scary part is the rookie can only get better going forward which should have Bruins fans furious.

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What Could Have Been

Think about it like this: if Sweeney was a better evaluator the Bruins could have had a line of Debrusk/Barzal/Boeser. Anyone who would not want to see that is insane. Maybe Zboril and Senyshyn will turn into legit players, or maybe they will not. But Barzal and Boeser have already proven they are going to be superstars. While the Bruins are a good team they could have been a great team. The two picks that never happened could define Sweeney’s legacy when it’s all said and done.

Cover image courtesy of CBS Boston.

Grzelcyk Quietly Having Great Rookie Season

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Grzelcyk as a Prospect

So far, this season the Bruins youth movement has been on full display. One rookie who’s been very good but hasn’t been talked about is Matt Grzelcyk. The BU product has quietly played very well for the Bruins this season. He was not highly regarded like fellow rookie defenseman Charlie McAvoy, but he has impressed scouts. Grzelyck has shown quick feet and good offensive ability. If he keeps playing like this, then by seasons end he will not be flying under the radar.

Photo Credit: Charles Krupa

Grzelcyk’s Performance So Far

Grzelyck has had two stints in Boston this season. In the second, he replaced Adam McQuaid and he has given the Bruins more than expected. McQuaid returned from his injury just before Christmas, but Grezelyck has not been sent down. This is a testament to how well the rookie has played. In 29 games this season he’s notched one goal and five assists. He is undersized but that has not affected his game and he has not seemed over-matched. The Bruins have received at least a point in seventeen straight games with Grzelyck a big contributor. Cassidy has also shown his trust in the rookie by placing him on the second power-play unit.

Photo Credit: Boston Bruins.com

Second Half Expectations for Grzelyck

Tonight, the Bruins play the Anaheim Ducks in their first game since the All-Star break. Going forward as the playoff push begins, these games will become harder and more tiring. This will be a big test for Grzelyck and his fellow rookies as fatigue sets in and points will be at a premium. Grzelyck has been exceptional so far but as rookie at some point he will struggle. When or if that happens, he will need to to minimize his struggles. He’s shown that he can play at the NHL level but now he must show that he can step up in a playoff push.

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What a Solid Ending Could Mean

The Bruins have high expectations for the BU product. Lile McAvoy is expected to help anchor the Bruins blue line for the foreseeable future. For the Charlestown native that would be a dream come true. So far, this season he’s lived up to the hype and much more. He may not have the same ceiling as McAvoy but the Bruins could do a lot worse.

Despite Point Streak Bruins Still Have Plenty to Prove

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Yes the Boston Bruins have earned a point in eighteen straight games. But with thirty-five games left on the schedule the Bruins still chasing the Tampa Bay Lightning. There are still a quite few hurdles for the B’s to clear. Up to this point the B’s have proved that they need to be taken seriously. However, let’s look at some concerns the team has even with this point streak.

Composure

This may seem like nitpicking, and it probably is. But could cockiness become a problem for such a young Bruins team? Maybe, while the Bruins have plenty of proven veteran leadership up and down the roster there is a cocky feel around this team. That is what a huge streak can do to a team. While having some swagger on your team is a good thing it can become flat-out arrogance if you let it. Especially when the puck starts bouncing the wrong way for you and all of a sudden you have lost three out of four. That is where Bruce Cassidy, Patrice Bergeron, and Zdeno Chara are going to have to make their presence felt. It has not been a problem up to this point, but lets see what happens with the confidence of the young kids if the team starts to struggle, if that ever happens.

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Workload

This may be the biggest concern surrounding a complete team like the Bruins. Young and old players have different ways of handling a full 82 game schedule. The All-Star break is the last real lull for a hockey team during the grind that is the NHL regular season. With this being the first full season for players like Charlie McAvoy, Jake Debrusk, Anders Bjork, Matt Grezyleck, it will be interesting to see how their legs hold up down the stretch. Also the Bruins’ best defenseman from start to finish this year has been Zdeno Chara, who is forty years old. Chara is leading the Bruins in TOI with 23:26 minutes per game. That is a lot of pressure to keep on the veteran.

With the playoff run really starting to heat up teams are going to give their best every night. That means harder hitting, tougher puck battles, and more emphasis put on every single point. With the Bruins in a tight division race it will be interesting to see if the team can hold up under the pressure. Going on a point streak is one thing, but building off of it is something completely different.

What Does McAvoy’s SVT Diagnosis Mean to the Bruins?

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Well life has a funny way of putting things into perspective for us sometimes. Imagine being Charlie McAvoy of the Bruins and recently being diagnosed with a heart condition called SVT. McAvoy is young, in great shape, and playing defense for one of the storied franchises in the NHL. Then pow.

In this article, I will tell fans of Bruin Nation what exactly is SVT. Also, I will tell you all about how it is treated and what is the prognosis for McAvoy and his hockey career.

(Via www.thehockeynews.com)

What Exactly is SVT?

The heart condition SVT, or supraventricular tachycardia, is where a person’s normal heart rate is accelerated and maintained at this level. An average person has a resting heart rate of about eighty beats per minute, whereas a person with SVT would have a resting rate of over one hundred. In many cases this is not a condition that can be easily detected. The signs and symptoms for it are pretty average for just not feeling well. Typically, a person suffering from SVT would experience: light-headedness, dizziness, fatigue, and general malaise. I believe in the case of the Bruins’ McAvoy, he was just a really lucky soul to find this when he did.

In more severe cases, it is possible for a person’s heart to stop beating temporarily and cause something called syncope. With the case of syncope a person would basically pass out and when they awake they would be quite disoriented. This would be a little bit like the case of the Stars’ Rich Peverley years ago, which turned out to be a little more serious.

SVT can be caused by a number of issues that are both in and out of the person’s control. Things such as heart disease, thyroid disorders, blood clots, and hardening of the arteries are some of the more serious causes of SVT. There are other causes such as drug abuse, caffeine intake, and smoking that can be controlled by the person.

How is it Detected?

As with most heart conditions, the person is usually given an ECG (electrocardiogram) to detect what the issue may be. In the case of SVT, the heart rate would be generally normal heart rhythm. For short periods of time during the testing, the person’s heart rate would spike to the SVT level even without any change in activity. The amount of times that the SVT is detected and the severity of the spike can figure in the treatment.

Other methods of detection of SVT can include: an ultrasound, a stress test, and dye tests as well. It just depends on the doctors and there is no test that is superior but the ECG is definitely the most commonly used.

Treatment of SVT

Once the SVT is actually detected in a person like McAvoy, it is key to figure out if there has been damage suffered. Fortunately in the case of the Bruins’ D man, he has many factors working in his favour. McAvoy is young, in great shape, and had no previous history of any heart related issues. All of these things are nothing but bonuses for the young Bruins’ D man and his long-term future.

The main treatment after verifying the diagnosis of SVT is to make sure that the condition does not flare up. As serious as this condition can be in some people, I expect McAvoy to live a long healthy life. Detection in the early stages and not requiring any cardiac operative procedures will mean that McAvoy will be just fine.

The Bruins’ young defenseman will likely just have to take a couple of medications to control this condition. Most patients would take a medication called a beta-blocker to control heart rate and another to manage heart rhythm. All things considered, things will be just fine for the Bruins’ (and possibly the NHL’s) rookie of the year. Let’s bring that Cup home to where it belongs.

Cover image courtesy of ESPN.

Charlie McAvoy Expected to Miss Two Weeks with Heart Issue

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It came as a surprise to many when the Bruins released a statement that Charlie McAvoy underwent surgery to fix an irregular heartbeat. The Bruins were first notified about the issue after the Bruins game on November 26th. McAvoy informed team doctors that he experienced heart palpitations during the game. The Bruins’ official statement reads:

“Subsequently he underwent an evaluation, which diagnosed him with a supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). The type of SVT Charlie has is not considered to be dangerous to his health but can recur at any time and causes significant symptoms”.

McAvoy decided to have the surgery to correct the issue due to the likeliness of it reoccurring in the future. The twenty year old Calder candidate will stay overnight at Mass General and by all accounts should be back to good health quickly.

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Ramifications

Luckily for McAvoy and the Bruins the problem was taken care of early enough. With the recent tear the Bruins are on it is a punch to the gut. But with the All-Star break just around the corner McAvoy should not be out of the lineup for to many games. The surgery is taking place in late January signals that it cannot be too serious of an issue since it was originally reported in November. However it’s never a good sign when a professional athlete has a heart issue.

Losing McAvoy for a short amount of time will not derail the red-hot Bruins. However it is certainly something to keep an eye on going forward. The key to the next decade for the Bruins is the twenty year old defenseman. So lets hope this was a one time problem. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for McAvoy.

Cover photo courtesy of www.sportingnews.com.

What’s Different About the Bruins?

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The Bruins have finished the last three seasons with nearly identical numbers, finishing with 96, 93, and 95 points. We were treated to a brief playoff appearance last season, but they certainly weren’t ready to make the jump into the upper tier of the league. Luckily for B’s fans, this year is different. Currently sitting comfortably with the second spot in the Atlantic and on pace for 113 points, this poses one question: what’s making a difference?

Goaltending

For starters, the Bruins have two goalies who have put up solid numbers. Rask got off to a slow start, posting an October save percentage of just .896. This lead to some early season controversy regarding the starting position, seeing as Khudobin came out of the gate hot. But around early December, Rask’s play transformed into what we’re used to seeing out of him. With Khudobin also continuing his stellar season, the Bruins have consequently climbed the standings going 15-2-4 since December 1st. As of today, Rask has started thirty games to Khudobin’s seventeen, emphasizing the faith that the coaching staff has behind both of them. And seeing as both goalies currently boast a season save percentage north of 92% and a GAA below 2.4, it comes as no surprise to see both of them getting their minutes.

The Young Guys

In addition to the dynamic duo between the pipes, the Bruins have also enjoyed plenty of production from players who can’t even drink yet. Rookie standout Charlie McAvoy is leading the way, even drawing some Calder Trophy attention. It’s unlikely that he’ll bring home the honor being a defenseman, but his 25 points through forty-five games to go with his +18 rating is exactly what the Bruins needed. Playing mostly on the top pair, McAvoy has also been given the credit of rejuvenating the play of Zdeno Chara. The two have worked well together all season, and Chara is proving that he still has something left in the tank. Rookies Danton Heinen (10-21-31), Jake DeBrusk (10-14-24), and Matt Grzelyck (1-5-6, +13) have also risen to the occasion this season. Each are proving that they are both hungry and capable of establishing themselves as NHL players.

Goalscoring

The B’s have also managed to combine their trademark “hard-nosed” style of play with a sufficient amount of skill. Between the years of 2010-2016, they failed to have a single seventy-point player. The team simply lacked that “big name scorer” that every team needs for both the fans and the results. But we can now see that Brad Marchand is ready to wear that label.

His increase in production really began in the inaugural World Cup of Hockey. Even while putting up eight points in just six games during Canada’s gold medal run, Marchand is best remembered for his tournament winning goal with just 43.1 seconds remaining to beat Team Europe. From there he took off and established himself as one of the premier forwards in the NHL. He went on to finish the season with 85 points, good for sixth in the league in scoring. This surpassed his previous season high by 24 points and is the most by any Bruin since Marc Savard in 2009 (88). Carrying his play into this season Marchand has been helped out by line mates David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron. With 44 points through 45 games for Pastrnak and 39 in 40 for Bergeron, all three players on the Bruins top line are on pace for career high point totals.

Boston Bruins’ David Pastrnak (88) celebrates with teammates Patrice Bergeron (37), Brad Marchand (63) and Torey Krug after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018 in Montreal. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

The Man Behind the Curtain

And lastly- Bruce Cassidy. The Bruins were lucky to have Claude Julien but after ten years it was time for a new voice. Luckily for the B’s, that voice was already in the organization. Having coached in Providence since 2008, Cassidy was already familiar with several players and the Bruins systems. One of these players is Torey Krug, who recalls that “everything was quick, on the go. He doesn’t like to spend time explaining drills or being at the board at practice. It’s go, go, go”. Krug went on to mention that this becomes a habit and translates into games. With nearly half the season remaining, it will be interesting to see if Cassidy and the Bruins can keep up this unexpected pace. But with the way things are looking right now, there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic.

Featured image courtesy of www.stanleycupofchowder.com

Bruins Overtime Woes Continue in Loss to Dallas

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Monday’s matinée match-up against the Stars was a good news bad news situation for the Bruins. The good news is that the Bruins showed real mental toughness when battling back from a 2-0 deficit. The bad news is that they let another point slip through their fingers in overtime. While the Bruins’ effort to get back into the game was impressive, former Bruin Tyler Seguin was just too much in overtime.

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Bruins Looked Sluggish

It was apparent that the 1 PM start was not ideal for the Bruins on Monday afternoon. The Bruins opened the first period getting out-shot 12-1 by the Stars. They seemed to not be able to find any rhythm offensively. It took a bit but the Bruins eventually found their skating legs and were able to battle back to finish the period with the shot distribution being 12-10 Dallas. The effects of the bye week were quite obvious during the matinée game. After being away from the game for five days it’s hard to get back into battling for every single puck, especially after that roller coaster game in Montreal.

Despite the sluggish start to the period the Bruins were able to escape the first period scoreless. Largely due to the efforts of Anton Khudobin, who was solid throughout the afternoon. Khudobin stopped twenty-nine out of thirty-two shots, but eventually looked helpless on Seguin’s eye-opening overtime goal. Although the Bruins were able to battle back from being down 2-0, when they got to overtime the team had nothing left in the tank.

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Overtime Continues to Be a Problem for the B’s

There has not been a lot to criticize the Bruins for the past few months. But one thing that is a notable weak point for the B’s this year has been their performance in the three on three period. After giving up the game winner to Tyler Seguin the B’s record in the extra session this year fell to 1-6. While it may seem like nitpicking, if the Bruins could have won a few more of those overtime games they would be at least in range of the juggernaut Lightning.

The big problem is structure in their own zone in overtime. It’s man on man across the ice. While the Bruins have plenty of talented offensive players such as Spooner, and Pastranak, they also struggle in their own zone. When a team is able to pin them in the defensive zone it almost always ends badly. Bruce Cassidy needs to work on defensive structure for his team in overtime so they can start getting two points instead of one.

Going Forward

In three games in a row the Bruins have faced someone who used to be a key part of their organization. Two games against Claude and one against Seguin. While Montreal has struggled this season and the Bruins just won up in Montreal, this is still a sneaky important game for the B’s. It would be nice to see the Bruins squash the Canadians and Claude Julien for good with a dominant showing on Wednesday night. Let’s see if Bruce Cassidy is able to refocus his team against a lesser team to earn two points.

Boston: The City of Champions

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City of Champions

In recent years Boston has been called the City of Champions. It has inherited this name due to its sports teams winning an incredible ten championships since 2000. Each professional team has won at least one championship, while the Patriots have won the most with five titles. Even when the quartet of teams that includes the Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox, and Patriots don’t win it all they’ve still been successful. This year has proven to be no different.

New England Patriots

Over the past eighteen years, the Patriots have been the most successful franchise in football and all of sports. They’ve won five titles and made the playoffs fourteen times. They have arguably the best coach and quarterback in the history of the game. Every year they are competitive, and unlike other teams have not needed to rebuild. They are the most controversial team in sports, but that’s what happens when you’re good for eighteen straight years. Today they play the Tennessee Titans to begin their playoff run. They are again favorites to win another championship, which would give them three in a four-year span.

Photo Credit: AP/ Photo Darron Cummings

Boston Celtics

The Celtics have struggled at times over the years. That does not mean that it’s all been bad. In 2008 after acquiring Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to join Paul Pierce, the Celtics won their first title since 1976. The Big three made back to the finals in 2010 but lost in seven games to the Lakers. They were unable to win another championship before the blockbuster trade that changed the franchise in 2011. The Celtics, however, have used that trade to build the current roster and speed up their rebuild, which only took two seasons. For the past three years, the Celtics have made it to the playoffs but have been unable to advance very far. This year the Celtics are primed to win a title and have a core in place to keep them competitive for the foreseeable future.

Photo Credit: Tim Cato

Boston Bruins

Boston is said to be a hockey town at heart and that was apparent when they won the Cup in 2011. Since 2000 the Bruins have made it to the playoffs eleven times and the Stanley Cup Finals twice. Last year they made it to the playoffs for the first time in two years. This season they have been one of the best which has come as a surprise to many. Like the Celtics, they are full of young talent and primed to be good for years to come. The Bruins have struggled at times over the years but have made the playoffs the majority of the time. Their future looks bright and they are primed to win a title with this core before the end of the decade.

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Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox like the Patriots have been very successful since. They’ve won three titles and made the playoffs nine times. They’ve provided the city with some of its most thrilling postseason moments. In 2004 they came back and stunned the world against their arch-rivals. Some seasons have been tough, but the Red Sox have been able to recover without going through extended rebuilds. They’ve lifted up the city when it needed them the most such as in 2013 after the marathon bombings. In what is a common theme among Boston sports teams they are rich with young talent. Going into next year the Red Sox are not the favorites, but they aren’t that far off from being champions again.

Photo Credit: Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Why Boston Fans Should Be Thankful

For the past eighteen years, Boston fans have been spoiled. Unlike any other city, the teams are almost always good and at least one team is always a favorite to win a championship. Some sports fans never see their team win a championship. In Boston, it’s considered a failure if these teams go two years without a title. That excellence is rare, and all these teams are filled with young talent. This impressive run won’t end anytime soon meaning Boston will be considered the city of champions for a while.

Bruins’ Fourth Line Has the Potential to Play a Huge Factor

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Have the 2018 Boston Bruins found themselves as productive a fourth line as the Merlot line was back in 2011? Nothing is guaranteed yet, but up to this point the recent emergence of the fourth line for the Bruins has been a key factor in their success. In the past nine games the Bruins have secured a point in all of them, going 7-0-2. The most encouraging sign is that it’s not because of a singular player or line like it has been in the past. But a definite positive sign almost halfway into the season has been the overall excellence of the Sean Kuraly, Tim Schaller and Noel Acciari.

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Defensive Dependability/Toughness

As you would want from most fourth lines Kuraly/Schaller/Acciari have gone above and beyond to earn the trust of Bruce Cassidy. As a line the trio has combined to go -2. Considering they are tasked with keeping other teams offensive lines in check this is pretty impressive. At this point in the season Cassidy has no hesitation to send out his fourth line and for good reason. Right now they are playing fabulous, selfless hockey. Whether it is in the defensive zone rotating along the boards or through coverage as if they are anticipating each others moves, it’s quite extraordinary. Along with each of the three being solid penalty killers and none of them shying away from good body contact.

The toughness element of this line cannot be understated. For stretches this season the Bruins have been pushed around by more physically dominant teams. But now with the Kuraly/Schaller/Acciari line adding not just a physical presence to the lineup but also holding opposing players responsible. Just as Schaller did when Acciari took a nasty hit up high against the Senators. Schaller showed no hesitation in dropping the gloves to protect his partner. But do not be confused, this is a line that knows how to check cleanly and effectively. Defensively reliability and guts of the Kuraly/Schaller/Acciari line certainly mirrors that of the Merlot line in its prime.

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Offensive Production/Versatility

Since the disband of the Merlot line, the Bruins have struggled to find a reliable versatile fourth line. Mainly because the veterans they brought in did not provide enough offensively and the young kids enough defensive reliability. But Kuraly/Schaller/Acciari is not just a bunch of defensive specialists. They can get after it on the offensive end as well. So far the trio has combined to put up 13 goals and 12 assist for 25 points. While also adding a surprising amount of speed to the Bruins’ lineup.

That is what makes this line so fascinating to watch. One minute they can be doing the dirty work in the defensive end. Then the next they are going end to end at full speed creating great scoring chances. It’s very impressive to watch and was on full display against the Islanders. Kuraly helped set up Schaller’s goal and Acciari netted one as well. They lead the Bruins to an impressive 5-1 victory.

The selflessness on the offensive end has been they key for this line. The right play is the simple play to them. They take what the defense is giving them. No more no less, and it has worked quite well. While none of them are offensive juggernauts by any stretch. Each of the three has the ability to score a timely goal or make a winning play. If the fourth line can keep up this level of production than opponents are not gonna be excited to play the Bruins.

What Should the Boston Bruins Do with Adam McQuaid?

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A mere six games into the season Adam McQuaid blocked a shot that ended up breaking his leg. The timeline for his return was 6-8 weeks, and sure enough here we sit with McQuaid just about ready to get back on the ice. But even though McQuaid is ready to return to the lineup Cassidy has chosen to leave him out of the lineup. So with the decision coming to a head what should the Bruins do with Adam McQuaid?

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Grzelyck

The foundation of the Bruins this season is the promise of the young prospects up and down the roster. This season has been a huge step forward towards the future so far. However bringing Adam McQuaid back and playing him over a younger, more mistake prone, but also more talented defenseman, contradicts the entire theme of the season. Especially considering McQuaid would either take the place of Brandon Carlo or Matt Grzelyck, both of whom look like they are the future. Grzelyck has been a genuine difference maker on this team during his time with the big club. Since Cassidy inserted Grzelyck into the lineup the Bruins have been otherworldly, going 13-3-2.

While Cassidy has made the transition into the NHL easier for Grzelyck by not playing him in high pressure minutes. He has still shown exceptional skill and awareness in the minutes he has gotten. Grzelyck’s performance alone should be enough to keep McQuaid on the shelf for the rest of the season. Mainly because the next time the Bruins win a Stanley Cup Adam McQuaid will not be a factor in it.

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Kevin Miller

The biggest asset of McQuaid’s game is his toughness and grit. But even that has lost its value to the Bruins with Kevin Miller on the roster. Miller has been playing exceptional hockey since be moved to the right side paired with Matt Grzelyck. Being his natural side, Miller is able to do much more offensively from the right side of the ice. Miller is able to use his pure strength to fight defenders off the puck and barrel through the neutral zone to add another element to the Bruins’ offense. On top of that Miller has shown time and time again he can drop the gloves with anyone in hockey.

At this point Miller is practically a more offensive and reliable Adam McQuaid. That leaves the veteran enforcer on the outside looking in for a top six defenseman spot on this team. The move is to obviously send Paul Postma to the AHL and keep McQuaid as a solid seventh defenseman heading into the new year. The only question is if McQuaid will be willing to sit on the bench in a backup role.