From now until the beginning of training camp, Bruins Insider Joe Haggerty is profiling players who will be on, or have a chance to be on, the 2015-16 Bruins. Today's player: Colin Miller.
The two first-round picks acquired for Milan Lucic would already be considered a haul for a one-year rental player, but the Lucic return could become a veritable treasure trove of hockey riches if defenseman Colin Miller, 22, turns into a player. He’s only got two years of AHL experience and has the modest cachet of being a fifth-round pick by the Kings back in 2012, but the Bruins feel he’s got the goods to be a top-four D-man in the NHL after watching him with the Manchester Monarchs over the past few years. If Miller becomes just that then it softens the blow a bit of losing Dougie Hamilton over the summer. And if he doesn’t, then it’s on to the next prospect in the pipeline.
What Happened Last Year: Miller had a solid rookie AHL season with five goals and 17 points in 60 plus games for the Monarchs, but he came on strong last season in Manchester and finished with 19 goals and 52 points in 70 games. The 6-foot-1, 173-pounder added 10 more points in 19 AHL playoff games. Miller won both the hardest shot and fastest skater competition at the AHL All-Star Game and plenty of the Manchester offense was built around his bomb shot from the point position. He showed the same kind of improvement in his three seasons with the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds at the junior level, so it’s fair to assume this is a normal career trajectory for the young D-man at each level. Suffice it to say he was one of the best D-men in the AHL last season at just 22, and that’s a good place to start.
Questions To Be Answered This Season: Miller showed impressive mastery of the AHL last season and the shot/skating ability are skills that portend similar success in the NHL. The NHL is a tough league for young players and in particular for a young D-man trying to break into a top-four role. Miller’s upward progression path in his previous two career stops also points to what could be a bit of a quiet start in the NHL. That’s completely to be expected. Clearly, Miller is an accomplished offensive performer, but we have yet to see what he looks like in the D-zone. That will be important playing for Claude Julien. The problem is that the Bruins could use Miller as a talented, reliable top-four defenseman yesterday, and badly need some right-handed D-men to step up this season after losing Johnny Boychuk and Dougie Hamilton within a calendar year. The bottom line: Miller will need to prove he’s an NHL defenseman, and then prove he’s worthy of top-four minutes and power-play time to feature those offensive skills. That’s a tall order for a young player in his first NHL go-round.
In Their Words: “I think Colin is ready to push for a spot. I put him in the same category as some of these other players like Joe [Morrow] and Zach [Trotman], who had a good taste [of the NHL]. He did have a breakout year. His game was really loose, he had offensive instincts, he’s got a good shot from the offensive blueline. There’s some structure in Colin’s game now that goes along with those offensive instincts. [He] is willing to transition pucks, and he is a guy that we identified as a group that has sort of emerged — and hopefully will come in and challenge — because he’s got a lot of upside.” — Bruins GM Don Sweeney, after trading for Miller on NHL Draft weekend.
Overall Outlook: Miller has all the tools. He’s posted gaudy numbers in the AHL and he looks very much on the verge of turning into a very good NHL defenseman. In a perfect world, the Bruins would have proven frontline D-men rather than aspiring frontline D-men, but this is where the Black and Gold find themselves this season with Miller. He’s the most likely bet to turn into something in the top four D-man category for the Bruins and he will get chances to shine. It will be fascinating to watch Miller compete with fellow young defensemen Zach Trotman and Joe Morrow in NHL training camp as all three should be at their peak in the most important camp of their careers. The booming shot and speedy skating legs give Miller a couple of weapons as he makes his first impression with the Bruins and he’d be wise to use them as often as possible while still competing in the defensive zone.