What do the Bruins see in Kevan Miller?

veritas

veritas

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 13, 2009
3,151
Somerville, MA
FL4WL3SS said:
Is this really true though? He correctly protects younger guys from crazy stressful situations, but that's completely different from leaning on the low risk low reward guys. I think all coaches do that and I don't think it's specific to Julien.

If I had the time, I'd dig up some numbers for similar players under other coaches. I think, generally, you'd see guys like C. Miller getting inconsistent ice time. It just goes with the territory.
Click to expand...
Yeah you're right, I probably should have phrased that better. I think relatively speaking it's a weakness for him. I think he's one of the best coaches in the league overall, but pretty typical/average in this regard. And there are certainly examples where he has done a great job of utilizing those types of players, like Krug and Marchand
 
cshea

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,239
306, row 14
Julien hasn't really had much of an opportunity to develop young defenseman. We're sort of in unchartered waters here with 3 guys all at once in a development phase.

The only 4 guys I can think of that that developed into NHL regulars under Julien are Boychuk, McQuaid, Hamilton and Krug. Boychuk and McQuaid did the healthy scratch thing their fist year before seizing an opportunity with injury and never looking back. Hamilton's first year was the lockout year. He was scratched a few times in the regular season and then only played 7 of 22 post season games. Krug's the only one who has basically never been scratched. He was forced in due to injury, lit Lundqvist and the Rangers up and has never looked back. Colin, Morrow and Trotman seem to be on somewhat similar paths as McQuaid and Boychuk.
 
cshea

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,239
306, row 14
It's temporary, I think (hope?). Roster was maxed, needed to clear someone off in order to activate McQuaid. Kemppainen, C. Miller and Pastrnak are the only waiver exempt players on the roster. They need Pastrnak or else we're playing Randell on the top 6 and Kemppainen is needed if Bergy remains out of the lineup.
 
Reardon's Beard

Reardon's Beard

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 3, 2005
3,798
They see grit within an already weakass defense corps. If you can do something good in the eyes of the Bruins FO, you get to stick around until someone better shows up.
 
FL4WL3SS

FL4WL3SS

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2006
14,925
Andy Brickley's potty mouth
LogansDad said:
Or they could always just cut Kevan Miller.....

I know, I know....

A man can dream, though, can't he?
Click to expand...
Outside of a few boneheaded plays here and there, please enlighten me what is so bad about Kevan Miller. He's a third year player that has been put in a situation that he's probably not ready for and has actually done a pretty decent job. The defense is weak overall, so they can't protect him with better players like they would if they had a few more competent defenseman. He's getting the 3rd most ice time of all the defenseman, so you're bound to see him exposed a little bit, but that's not his fault. He's doing as well or better than could have been expected coming into the season given the situation he's been put in.

The fact that we're bitching about a guy in the middle of his third year and have a thread about it, is insane to me. He's been better than McQuaid (for whom he's had to cover for while he's been injured). McQuaid is in 7th season, Kevan is in his 3rd.

Your incessant witch hunt against Kevan Millar is getting annoying. Let it go. Bitch about McQuaid all you want, he deserves it.
 
McDrew

McDrew

Set Adrift on Memory Bliss
SoSH Member
Apr 11, 2006
4,075
Portland, OR
I think if we can get a legit 2A, and go with Chara-Seidenberg/TRADE-McQuaid/Krug-Miller we'll stop noticing Kevan Miller as much.
 
lexrageorge

lexrageorge

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2007
18,213
The good news is that Miller's cap hit is $800K this season, and he can be gone after this season.

The bad news is the nearly combined $7M tied up in Seidenberg and McQuaid for the forseeable future. The other bad news is that both Millers have outplayed them both by a wide margin.
 
Reardon's Beard

Reardon's Beard

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 3, 2005
3,798
FL4WL3SS said:
Outside of a few boneheaded plays here and there, please enlighten me what is so bad about Kevan Miller. He's a third year player that has been put in a situation that he's probably not ready for and has actually done a pretty decent job. The defense is weak overall, so they can't protect him with better players like they would if they had a few more competent defenseman. He's getting the 3rd most ice time of all the defenseman, so you're bound to see him exposed a little bit, but that's not his fault. He's doing as well or better than could have been expected coming into the season given the situation he's been put in.

The fact that we're bitching about a guy in the middle of his third year and have a thread about it, is insane to me. He's been better than McQuaid (for whom he's had to cover for while he's been injured). McQuaid is in 7th season, Kevan is in his 3rd.

Your incessant witch hunt against Kevan Millar is getting annoying. Let it go. Bitch about McQuaid all you want, he deserves it.
Click to expand...
I concur. He plays hard and is trying to improve, and has improved. What did people expect of him? You can't ask for much more than that.
 
The Napkin

The Napkin

wise ass al kaprielian
Moderator
SoSH Member
Jul 13, 2002
28,659
right here
I expect that maybe he should get a game off now and then. Hell, don't even call it punishment. Plenty of guys have said it's been beneficial for them to watch a game from up top and see it from that angle.
 
LogansDad

LogansDad

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
29,783
Alamogordo
FL4WL3SS said:
Outside of a few boneheaded plays here and there, please enlighten me what is so bad about Kevan Miller. He's a third year player that has been put in a situation that he's probably not ready for and has actually done a pretty decent job. The defense is weak overall, so they can't protect him with better players like they would if they had a few more competent defenseman. He's getting the 3rd most ice time of all the defenseman, so you're bound to see him exposed a little bit, but that's not his fault. He's doing as well or better than could have been expected coming into the season given the situation he's been put in.

The fact that we're bitching about a guy in the middle of his third year and have a thread about it, is insane to me. He's been better than McQuaid (for whom he's had to cover for while he's been injured). McQuaid is in 7th season, Kevan is in his 3rd.

Your incessant witch hunt against Kevan Millar is getting annoying. Let it go. Bitch about McQuaid all you want, he deserves it.
Click to expand...
Fair enough... I will try to ease off a little.

FWIW, I get that the advanced stats seem to like him, and I'm definitely not an "old school don't bring those newfangled things into my sports" kind of person. It just seems to my (admittedly not as trained as most of you guys here) eyes, the mistakes he does make tend to be either unforced (i.e. bad passes or ugly icings with nobody else around him), or game changing (like at the end of the first period against the Kings). I will also admit that he has definitely gotten better this season, and understanding that he really is stuck in a position that he shouldn't be in, and playing to far up the roster, helps me to appreciate that my hate probably shouldn't be directed at him. I apologize for being a gigantic asshole.
 
PedroSpecialK

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2004
27,169
Cambridge, MA
Eh, I'm in your boat, I don't think you need to apologize for it.

I believe in possession stats and I accept that he's been plainly average there, even above average in context of this team. He just doesn't pass the eye test for me on a consistent basis. I can see why Claude leans on him, but there's no long-term gain to him getting rolled out for 20 minutes a night. I'll put it this way - I'd rather the B's have 4-6 fewer points and have a better idea of what Joe Morrow and Colin Miller can contribute moving forward (Side note - I think his absence would lead to more points with more ice time for Morrow/C. Miller, but I digress).

Part of it is that I'm 1-11 in home games I've attended this year, and I'd say in at least 8 of those games K. Miller has been a huge culprit in goals surrendered.
 
cshea

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,239
306, row 14
I'd agree with all that.

The Kevan Miller conundrum really boils down to Julien and the juggling of the D. Kevan Miller seems to have immunity. His mistakes have not led to any sort of ice time/healthy scratch situation. Colin Miller and Morrow do not have that same immunity. I'm pro-Julien and think the perception that he hates young players and only plays vets is dead wrong. This is one case that is a head-scratcher. It's not like K. Miller is a McQuaid type guy whose been here for a Cup and has a $2.75mm (ugh, barf) contract. Playing him them is a bit more justifiable. But no, Kevan is a fungible 5/6 guy making minimum dollars. It's OK to sit him a game or two here or there.
 
cshea

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
36,239
306, row 14
Who is in for a shocker and fun with numbers?

With the goal in Dallas and the assist last night, Miller is now 15th amongst all NHL D men in ES points per 60 (min 750 minutes) at 1.11. He's right behind Subban (1.16), Letang (1.15) and Boychuk (1.15). Crazy.

Maybe he does have some value and they could get something for him sometime over the next 6 days?
 
PedroSpecialK

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2004
27,169
Cambridge, MA
I think he's got 2 goals off that lacrosse-style short-hopping shot from the point. If he can do that consistently, that's some kind of a skill I think.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom