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Bruins’ Julien proud of his young defensemen

Boston Bruins v Detroit Red Wings - Game Four

DETROIT, MI - APRIL 24: of Game Four of the First Round of the 2014 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Joe Louis Arena on April 24, 2014 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***

Gregory Shamus

We know the Boston Bruins are tough on defense and that captain Zdeno Chara is the face of that group, but the host of young players that have stepped up on the blue line this season are part of what impresses coach Claude Julien the most.

As Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com shares, guys like Kevan Miller, Torey Krug, Matt Bartkowski, and Dougie Hamilton have all played major roles in Boston this season and the coach has more than taken notice.

“There are times when they did get caught, and I’ve got a lot of clips of that if you want,” said Julien. “But that’s how they learn; you have to teach along the way. Because they were allowed to do that, sometimes you learn from your mistakes and get better. ... They’re young players who are getting better all the time, and they have learned. That is to their credit.”

Krug has been the player that’s gotten noticed the most this season because of his point production, but Hamilton has been paired with Chara and seen his game improve. Miller’s physical presence and Bartkowski’s all-around game have earned Julien’s trust.

Say what you want about the Bruins, but one area they’re not lacking is on defense and they could be about to get a lot better with Dennis Seidenberg returning to practice recently.

Follow @JoeYerdonPHT