Player Discussion Colin Miller

[Coach Parker]

Boychuk comparisons are perfect.

He is becoming the 2nd pairing RHD we all hoped he'd be right before our eyes.

 

[BNHL]

You gotta earn that time. When posters state, "It's not Fair! He makes one mistake and sees the bench!" When you play 15 of the easiest minutes a night, you need to play near perfect hockey to play consistently or to get more ice time. Until recently, that has not been the case.

If a coach can't live with mistakes from a young player,the player's development suffers. Not sure a defenseman with 88 total games played here and there finds any minutes easy.

 

[missingchicklet]

Chiller looked really good last night until he got booted. Been a huge fan of his since he arrived and still maintain that he is going to be a very good player in time. Drove me nuts last year when he was being sat and not allowed to develop properly. Drives me nuts this year when he is in the press box. The kid simply needs to get games in and has no business being sat out. He has improved quite a bit since he got here and I think he still has a ways to go before he reaches his ceiling. He has a lot of tools and could definitely end up being a solid top-four d-man by the time he peaks, if not sooner.

 

[TimThomas24]

I've been really impressed with his physicality lately, devastating hit to Burmistrov aside. That's the only question I've had about his game since he arrived in Boston.

I'd personally like to compare him to Duncan Keith. He has the same offensive instinct, damn near same skating style all he needed to do was developed a bit of a nasty edge like Keith. I think the lad is getting there

I hope you mean a very very poor mans Duncan Keith...

 

[Mantis]

Hard to believe there isn't a Chiller thread already! Yes, I agree- that was massive and it was clean too. I don't think you get a penalty there if the guy gets up and plays on. He goes down badly and all of a sudden it's a charge- and a major and a game misconduct? Chiller has shown this before, though not as devastatingly, that he can play the physical game and play it well. It was a nice goal he scored, too.

There is one but noone has posted in it for a long time

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1917763

 

[Mantis]

If anyone wants to see him win the 2015 AHL fastest skater and hardest shot competitions here you go. Sorry that its in Russian

Fastest Skater



Hardest Shot

 

[Gee Wally]

Colin Miller’s left-side presence could be a long-term solution

“Colin going over there, I don’t think it’s hurt him,†coach Bruce Cassidy said before Thursday’s 7-4 loss to Edmonton. “His ability to skate pucks out of trouble without skating into the trap has been very good. It’s something we weren’t sure would happen. But he’s been able to separate from people on his forehand and make a good, strong play. That’s one of the challenges of playing your off side.â€

“Defending-wise, he’s been fine over there, Colin,†Cassidy said. “I don’t think there’s any pivoting issues or opening up too soon and getting beat to the inside, for the most part. It happens to every player, getting beaten one-on-one. There was one instance [Wednesday against Calgary] when it happened to him, but I think he was on the right side when it did happen. I like his game over there. I like them as a pair. I have for a while. I think it’s a real solid third pair that gives us a little bit of everything. So far, so good.â€

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/b...49YI/story.html?p1=Article_Recirculation_Pos1

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Colin Miller’s left-side presence could be a long-term solution

“Colin going over there, I don’t think it’s hurt him,†coach Bruce Cassidy said before Thursday’s 7-4 loss to Edmonton. “His ability to skate pucks out of trouble without skating into the trap has been very good. It’s something we weren’t sure would happen. But he’s been able to separate from people on his forehand and make a good, strong play. That’s one of the challenges of playing your off side.â€

“Defending-wise, he’s been fine over there, Colin,†Cassidy said. “I don’t think there’s any pivoting issues or opening up too soon and getting beat to the inside, for the most part. It happens to every player, getting beaten one-on-one. There was one instance [Wednesday against Calgary] when it happened to him, but I think he was on the right side when it did happen. I like his game over there. I like them as a pair. I have for a while. I think it’s a real solid third pair that gives us a little bit of everything. So far, so good.â€

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/b...49YI/story.html?p1=Article_Recirculation_Pos1

What did he say after the game?

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

To be a solid NHL defenseman, CMiller needs to get his body and/or stick on more shots. He has 31 blocks in 54 games. Checking all other NHL defensemen, not one with less than 31 blocks has played more than 44 games. Unless he's going to be on the Karlsson or Burns level offensively, that needs to improve.

 

[Kegs]

Colin miller had been very good down the stretch. He tougher then i anticipated. Really good skater too.

 

[BNHL]

To be a solid NHL defenseman, CMiller needs to get his body and/or stick on more shots. He has 31 blocks in 54 games. Checking all other NHL defensemen, not one with less than 31 blocks has played more than 44 games. Unless he's going to be on the Karlsson or Burns level offensively, that needs to improve.

How about minutes played?

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

How about minutes played?

How about it? CMiller averaging 16 minutes a game.

 

[maxbme]

To be a solid NHL defenseman, CMiller needs to get his body and/or stick on more shots. He has 31 blocks in 54 games. Checking all other NHL defensemen, not one with less than 31 blocks has played more than 44 games. Unless he's going to be on the Karlsson or Burns level offensively, that needs to improve.

I don't think thats a good way to evaluate Miller defensively or if its even that important. He's been very good at not allowing the other team to get shots on net, this year he allows the fifth least Shots Against per 60 minutes of ice time. He is 209th out of 258 at Blocked Shots per Shot Against which doesn't sound great but Brandon Carlo is only 2 spots above him and solid defensemen like Krug, Ekblad, Duncan Keith, Ekman-Larsson and Suter are all below him. Strangely enough, guy leading the league in total blocked shots? Erik Karlsson.

 

[Brewins]

I don't think thats a good way to evaluate Miller defensively or if its even that important. He's been very good at not allowing the other team to get shots on net, this year he allows the fifth least Shots Against per 60 minutes of ice time. He is 209th out of 258 at Blocked Shots per Shot Against which doesn't sound great but Brandon Carlo is only 2 spots above him and solid defensemen like Krug, Ekblad, Duncan Keith, Ekman-Larsson and Suter are all below him. Strangely enough, guy leading the league in total blocked shots? Erik Karlsson.

Also there is a fine line between blocking shots being a good play or a bad one. Many times a player will screen their own goalie trying to block a shot....which is the goalies job, leading to a goal.

There are the good blocked shots as well obviously, when a player blocks a shot from in close or where the goalie has to move alot. Not sure if there is a quality of blocked shot stat, but we have seen most dmen on our team screen Tuukka on a shot that he saves 99 times out of 100.

 

[patty59]

He's a great skater and has a rocket of a shot, but he doesn't do anything with the puck when he skates it out. He looks great doing it but nothing ever comes of it. I don't see top 4 here, maybe it's just me but I think he's more Matt Hunwick than Kevin Shattenkirk.

 

[s3antana5757]

He's a great skater and has a rocket of a shot, but he doesn't do anything with the puck when he skates it out. He looks great doing it but nothing ever comes of it. I don't see top 4 here, maybe it's just me but I think he's more Matt Hunwick than Kevin Shattenkirk.

I agree with the skating out and not doing anything with it. I would add that he's not the best passer in the world either. Seems to me a fair number are behind, too far in front, too high to handle, or too hard to handle. Think he's made a really good jump though and think there's still tons of untapped potential.

 

[finchster]

Colin Miller seems to be all tools and no tool box. I don't get the people who think he is playing great, he is playing bottom pairing minutes and sometimes only getting 10-13 minutes a night (averaging 16). Seriously, and most of that time is easy offensive icetime too.

 

[BNHL]

97 NHL games,with about 14 consecutive being his biggest opportunity to grow.

 

[reillysmith38]

Colin Miller seems to be all tools and no tool box. I don't get the people who think he is playing great, he is playing bottom pairing minutes and sometimes only getting 10-13 minutes a night (averaging 16). Seriously, and most of that time is easy offensive icetime too.

Agreed.

He skates like the freaking wind out there. I'd put him as the most effortless skater on this team. He covers alot of ground really fast. There aren't many defenseman in the league that can skate like him.

But.... He's lacking when it comes to vision and passing. He has no touch with passes, just kind of throws it up to the forwards really hard.

When he gets into the offensive zone with speed he never really finishes the play. The puck dies on his stick.

His slap shot is fantastic. But he never scores on it because it's really wild and inconsistent. Seems like he's going for velocity over accuracy. His wrister is nowhere to be found. He could learn alot in watching Krug pass and shoot for tips.

Defensively he's just average. I would like to see him use his skating to better limit the opponent's space. We know he can do it but it's really inconsistent.

I love his potential but he needs to work on it. If it all comes together he's easily a top pair defenseman.

He's playing sheltered minutes and looking average out there.

 

[chizzler]

He's progressing. Not all young players in the league make an impact right away. Some take longer to develope. That's the key. Develope.

 

[NDiesel]

He's a pretty frustrating player. He makes a bunch of good plays/plays a bunch of good games in a row and then ruins it with some stinkers. I can't stand how many times he tries to do a bank pass that doesn't connect at well.

Reminds me of Bartkowski (wildly inconsistent) with more offensive upside. Will have a stretch looking like a top 4 then look like a borderline NHL player for a stretch.

Still young, but I think he should watch a game or two.

 

[Riverfront]

yes miller has a hard shot, and he does miss the net a lot but krug misses the net more often then him. Last night he had a point blank shot to put the bruins up by 2 goals and he shot it 10ft high and wide. Most often tries to shoot blocker side on the goalie and he consistently fires the puck wide.For the amount of power play time he gets and playing time krug gets he should have more goals and points.

 

[Pia8988]

yes miller has a hard shot, and he does miss the net a lot but krug misses the net more often then him. Last night he had a point blank shot to put the bruins up by 2 goals and he shot it 10ft high and wide. Most often tries to shoot blocker side on the goalie and he consistently fires the puck wide.For the amount of power play time he gets and playing time krug gets he should have more goals and points.

Because Krug takes more shots. Colin Miller is absolutely awful at hitting the net.

Krug - 187/396 SOG - 47.2% / Career - 49.3%
Colin - 80/213 SOG - 37.6% / Career - 39.4%

The other 4 major defensemen (Chara, Carlo, Keven, McQuaid) are all around 48-51%.

Colin Miller is by far the worst Bruins defensemen at actually getting a puck to a goalie. What's even worse is his numbers go DOWN on the PP. 31.3% of his shots get to the goalie on the PP. Awful numbers.

 

[wintersej]

He just doesn't move laterally enough to look for a seam. PK Subban is really good at that. Colin just tries to shoot it thru people or thru a seam that take the shot wide.

He is a frustrating guy, because he really has such amazing tools, but he is going to have more competition for a roster spot than Joe Morrow and Liles corpse next season.

 

[missingchicklet]

He just doesn't move laterally enough to look for a seam. PK Subban is really good at that. Colin just tries to shoot it thru people or thru a seam that take the shot wide.

I agree with that analysis. It has been frustrating because Chiller has a howitzer of a shot. With his speed and skating ability there is no reason for him to settle for the shots he takes. Not only would I like to see him look for a seam more, but also I would like for him to skate in closer to the net at times. He can definitely maneuver around a lot of players in the NHL, but doesn't seem to have the needed confidence. He's young and has some good tools. I still think he can end up being a solid d-man in this league.