Player Discussion Kevan Miller - II

[Pay Carl]

Really? You didn't see him miss the puck and let Marner through on the Marleau goal? Same thing that always happens to him... As for all this skating talk, his skating is exactly the same as it was before. His skating isin't his biggest problem though. He is tremendously slow at moving the puck. I counted three times last night where he made a tape to tape pass from his own zone to an opposing players stick. These things happened, its not a bias, re-watch the game and take note of everytime he has the puck especially when he carries the puck (nothing good comes from him carrying the puck into the opposing zone). People like him because he hits and fights but at the end of the day the team has succeeded despite him and he will cost us again.

As for the Boychuk comparisons, Johnny is a faster and more decisive player than Miller. Boychuk played 1st and 2nd pairing here and is a 1st pairing defense man with the Islanders. Miller is all over the depth chart and doesn't play 1st pairing unless there is a slew of injuries. Miller will never make a pass like this in his life:

Zero chance Boychuk is faster. Never in my life would I describe Boychuk as fast. Miller is also a much better skater in regards to agility and making tight turns

JB had a harder shot, and a better hitter through the neutral zone. Can't really think of anything else he is clearly better at than Miller, a lot of things up for debate

Miller is clearly the better hitter down low in his own end, much better skater, and 10x nastier than JB was

Yesterday wasn't his best work which is of course why you are responding today

For the record I like both players, but your blind hate for Miller is unfounded

Also, playing 1st and 2nd pairing on the Islanders wouldn't really be something I'd brag about considering how bad their defense was this year

 

[SpitfireIX]

Well it would be unfounded if I didn't provide an argument for it... "Yesterday" game 3 was pretty much typical Kevan Miller. There is nothing clear or quantifiable about anything you say. Here are a few quantifiable facts to go with the video I posted which you have no response to...

1. Boychuk was a top 4 D on a Cup Winning and Conference winning team.

2. Kevan Miller is a 5-6 defenseman on this team. If Carlo is healthy Miller is out of the top 4 as he was when Carlo was healthy this year.

Our healthy lineup is:

Chara McaVoy
Krug Carlo
Grez McQuaid/Miller

3. Johnny Boychuk and Andrew Ference shut down a red-hot Sidney Crosby line over the course of an entire series, how many goals did the Penguins score and how many pts did that line get up against Johnny and Andrew??? Kevan Miller at 29 has done nothing close to this and is still a 5th defenseman at best.

4. Since trading Johnny Boychuk the Bruins have not won a single series in the playoffs. Sure this is far from the only factor leading to our missing the playoffs and losing last year to Ottawa (you will ignore this sentence in your rebuttle). However, if Miller has been an adequate replacement for Boychuk then we should have been fine with him as a partner for Chara or for Krug, this has not been the case and there has been a huge drop-off since he left up until McCavoy and Carlo arrived.

5. Boychuk laid out big time star players Vanek, Malkin and...



This single video pretty much nullifies your whole bs skating argument. What is funny is that your talking up Kevan Miller's skating but he can't even make the hit that Boychuk pulls off in the above video because he could never catch Stamkos going backwards like Boychuk did here because he can't skate LOL. Find me a similar video of a hit on a player of Stamkos's speed and skill where Miller cuts him off going backwards, can Miller even go backwards??? Boychuk was a good skater for his size and still is, Miller looks like he is spinning his tires for a second every time he moves in a different direction.

I'm looking at Kevan Miller highlights and all I see is another Mark Stuart, big hits on lukewarm players. Stop a star in his tracks with a clean hit and that gets attention deliver a big hit on Brandon Pirri in the regular season and meh...

 

[Pay Carl]

Lmao imagine posting one Youtube video and thinking that proves your point

 

[Pay Carl]

you watching tonight @SpitfireIX ?

 

[BruinsBtn]

I don't think I've ever done a 180 on a guy as much as Miller. I hated him so much after that Montreal series but he's amazing every night now. He really learned how to win battles by moving his feet.

 

[RoccoF14]

Was EASILY our best defenseman tonight in Game 4. Dude is a warrior..

 

[Jean_Jacket41]

Was EASILY our best defenseman tonight in Game 4. Dude is a warrior..

What? He was victimized on the 1st goal and Cassidy put him on the 3rd pair after that bringing McQuaid back with Krug.

Miller has not been good the past two games. On the ice for 4 of the 5 Leafs goals.

 

[bruinmann77]

Miller and Adam really bring it on the defense

 

[RoccoF14]

What? He was victimized on the 1st goal and Cassidy put him on the 3rd pair after that bringing McQuaid back with Krug.

Miller has not been good the past two games. On the ice for 4 of the 5 Leafs goals.

We must have watched a different game then....

 

[Pay Carl]

What? He was victimized on the 1st goal and Cassidy put him on the 3rd pair after that bringing McQuaid back with Krug.

Miller has not been good the past two games. On the ice for 4 of the 5 Leafs goals.

you have pretty low standards of being “victimized”

I’ve watched that goal a few times now on replay and don’t see how that’s on Miller, especially not in an egregious manner

Miller was great tonight. Had two gigantic hits, which impressed me even more since the physicality has dropped off the last few games. Plus an assist, which was more of a product of playing with Krug, but still

Guy is a beast

 

[SpitfireIX]

Lmao imagine posting one Youtube video and thinking that proves your point

Well it is a pretty solid demonstration of his ability. You use a lot of hyperbol, but to this point no actual proof of anything, so its one more video than you have been able to provide demonstrating Boychuk's superior play. A big hit on a superstar, yeah I guess its "only one video..." You also haven't addressed the fact that Boychuk was a top 4 D on two teams that went to the Cup while Miller is a 3rd pairing defense man on this team when it is healthy. He has never been a legit top 4 D when this team is healthy so its ridiculous that you make such a comparison, facts are facts.

you have pretty low standards of being “victimized”

I’ve watched that goal a few times now on replay and don’t see how that’s on Miller, especially not in an egregious manner

Miller was great tonight. Had two gigantic hits, which impressed me even more since the physicality has dropped off the last few games. Plus an assist, which was more of a product of playing with Krug, but still

Guy is a beast

He is a beast, he is strong and he has heart for sure. But he is also the definition of a dump truck... I did watch last night and you and I have a different version of what good hockey is. He was slow to react and got out of position on the Plekanec goal leaving Krug who was in proper position in trouble. He does this frequently and he got burned for it. He isin't fast enough to make the play. What is funny is that your calling him a beast and as it has been pointed out he was at fault for a goal against and dropped from his pair.

 

[Seidenbergy]

You also haven't addressed the fact that Boychuk was a top 4 D on two teams that went to the Cup while Miller is a 3rd pairing defense man on this team when it is healthy. He has never been a legit top 4 D when this team is healthy so its ridiculous that you make such a comparison, facts are facts.

Not to get in the middle of this love-fest, but you are comparing two completely different teams in different time periods. If Boychuk and Miller switched teams this year, there's a very good chance Boychuk plays 3rd pair. McAvoy and Carlo are both better than him IMO and I honestly don't think it's close.

 

[RoccoF14]

Agree with you about McAvoy. Don’t agree that Carlo is better....yet.

Carlo has a higher ceiling but Miller is the better player now.

 

[Pay Carl]

Well it is a pretty solid demonstration of his ability. You use a lot of hyperbol, but to this point no actual proof of anything, so its one more video than you have been able to provide demonstrating Boychuk's superior play. A big hit on a superstar, yeah I guess its "only one video..." You also haven't addressed the fact that Boychuk was a top 4 D on two teams that went to the Cup while Miller is a 3rd pairing defense man on this team when it is healthy. He has never been a legit top 4 D when this team is healthy so its ridiculous that you make such a comparison, facts are facts.



He is a beast, he is strong and he has heart for sure. But he is also the definition of a dump truck... I did watch last night and you and I have a different version of what good hockey is. He was slow to react and got out of position on the Plekanec goal leaving Krug who was in proper position in trouble. He does this frequently and he got burned for it. He isin't fast enough to make the play. What is funny is that your calling him a beast and as it has been pointed out he was at fault for a goal against and dropped from his pair.

One video you posted is just that, one example

Should I post the video of the GWG for Chicago in the finals in 2013? Do you remember who’s man scored that goal?

 

[PlayMakers]

IMO, Miller was the Bruins best defenseman against Toronto. He was mean, punishing, tight defensively, he moved the puck, jumped into the offense and forecheck at times... He brought it, Manchuk style.

 

[Krupp]

Regardless of what you think of him, you gotta admit; Miller's savagery against some of the leafs in this series was just f***in awesome!

He threw some hits that reminded me of how the B's were ragdolling the canucks in 2011. It got me stoked. I'll always root for Miller no matter what young defenseman is coming up through the pipelines.

 

[RussellmaniaKW]

beast

 

[neelynugs]

obviously it's not on the same plane as marchand, but the improvement in miller's game at his age is really
unique. this guy is 30 years old and just keeps getting better. legit top 4 guy, skating is so much better,
tough, strong defender, chipping in offensively.

 

[BiGBear8]

Regardless of what you think of him, you gotta admit; Miller's savagery against some of the leafs in this series was just ****in awesome!

He threw some hits that reminded me of how the B's were ragdolling the canucks in 2011. It got me stoked. I'll always root for Miller no matter what young defenseman is coming up through the pipelines.

need alot of his banging against the bolts

 

[Ladyfan]

Kevan has been fun to watch. Nice to see the leadership too. I was pleased to see him wearing an "A" earlier this season when others were out.

He seems like a great guy too !

 

[BiGBear8]

Kevan has been fun to watch. Nice to see the leadership too. I was pleased to see him wearing an "A" earlier this season when others were out.

He seems like a great guy too !

I also am a big fan of KM....lots thought that they should have protected the younger miller...in expansion draft but the bruins did fine,plus lots young D coming.

 

[RiverbottomChuck]

Kevan was pretty amazing last night. I really think this dude eats habs for breakfast every morning, no milk though.

 

[DKH]

I was way off on this guy

I thought Sweeney was nuts

Beast

Destroyed two punks in two nights

Hornqvist got knocked out of fans and Drouin got rocked and just maybe he was trying to get some type of revenge when he high sticked Backes

He’s an animal on the ice a leader and as classy as they come off it

A true Bruins in every sense

 

[Krupp]

Oh Kevan, how we have missed you....

THESE games are why you keep a guy like this. Really glad he's back! Hopefully he keeps this nastiness up for the rest of the season.

 

[GloryDaze4877]

Miller has turned himself into a solid 4/5 IMO, but I don’t think there is anything new here. I didn’t like his play the first couple of games back, but hopefully it was just rust.

Love the physicality, he does a decent job of picking his spots to jump into the play, has a decent shot and he’s good on the PK.

On the flip side, the guy (like McQ) appears to be made of china. Given his style of play, that’s not a good thing. His skating has gotten better, but isn’t great. While I love his hits, too often he will take himself out of position to make them, or to pursue the play.

He’s like a lot of D in the league. Good player, has some warts, you hope he has more good nights than bad.