Injuries to Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg may have opened a roster spot for Colin Miller, the 22-year-old defenseman who came to the Bruins as part of the Milan Lucic trade with the Kings.
“He’s been good,” coach Claude Julien told CSN New England. “At times I think I’ve seen a guy that wants to show he belongs, and is maybe trying to do a little too much. But that’s our job to get him to tone down his game, or relax. But I like his mobility. He’s a good skater. We talk about breaking the puck out of our own end, and that’s an element that a guy like that can bring to our team since he’s such a good skater.”
Miller had 52 points in 70 games last season with AHL Manchester. His offensive abilities aren’t in question. It’s the defensive part of the game he needs to keep improving. Certainly not unusual for a young defenseman.
Chara, meanwhile, skated this morning and is apparently making progress. However, he remains day-to-day, his return date unknown.
The Bruins open the regular season Oct. 8 versus the Jets. According to CSN New England’s Joe Haggerty, “it would appear Miller, Torey Krug, Adam McQuaid, Kevan Miller, Zach Trotman, Matt Irwin and Joe Morrow could potentially be the seven healthy D-men entering the season.”
Of those seven, only Miller is exempt from waivers.
Related: Bruins lose another: Seidenberg (back) out eight weeks