Kalman: McQuaid, Miller Make For Minuscule Odds Bruins Will Be Better
By Matt Kalman, CBS Boston
MIDDLETON (CBS) --When the Bruins re-signed defenseman Kevan Miller as an unrestricted free agent earlier this summer for four years at $2.5 million per season, some thought it made 29-year-old Adam McQuaid expendable.
McQuaid, however, didn't see it that way.
"I'm not really surprised by anything. I don't know. You're not sure how things will play out in different ways. I wasn't surprised," McQuaid said earlier this week before he teed off at Shawn Thornton's charity golf tournament at Ferncroft Country Club. "I think in my opinion Millsie's underrated in a lot of ways and a guy that continues to improve and a guy you appreciate having on your team."
With training camp a little more than a month away, both McQuaid and Miller are under the Bruins' control. That's probably one sign things aren't going to be much better in 2016-17 than they were the past two seasons.
Miller, 28, and McQuaid would probably play the same role on other teams. Every team needs at least one rugged, stay-at-home defenseman to play third-pair minutes and aid on the penalty kill. But the Bruins have taken a liking to having at least two of those types of players in their defense corps, and with the departure of Dennis Seidenberg it looks like McQuaid or Miller will have to play in Boston's top four.
Miller's season improved in the second half of last year, when he was mostly paired with Zdeno Chara. McQuaid was inconsistent and, despite some stellar nights to Chara's right, mostly failed in his attempt to become a consistent member of the top four. Boston has brought back seven of its eight defensemen from last season, and they're all on one-way deals, so heading into the fall either McQuaid or Miller is going to be asked to play a bigger role to help the Bruins rebound after two playoff-less seasons.
"I guess those are the questions that everyone asks and people are wondering about. But I think at the same time there's a chance for both of us to continue to improve our game and hopefully be more well-rounded and grab the opportunity to play bigger minutes against tougher opposition," McQuaid.
One has to admire McQuaid's self-confidence. He might also benefit from strong health. Although he missed 18 games last season (he had one goal and eight assists in 64 games), his injuries came earlier in the season and he didn't have anything lingering when the season ended. For the first time in a couple of years, McQuaid didn't require offseason surgery.
So here he is, a 6-foot-4, 212-pound bear of a defenseman who has made great strides in his career. The Bruins want more from him, against the odds that someone can improve that much as he nears 30.
Something has to give for the Bruins to improve on their 20th-ranked defense from a season ago. McQuaid's ready to be under pressure and he thinks he can be part of the solution more than part of the problem.
"I think even within the guys that we have, I think we can be better and it's an important part of our team," McQuaid said. "Collectively, not only as a D corps, I think just as a team having that defensive awareness and focus. But obviously there's a little more focus on the defensemen, as always, but I guess it's going to be a good challenge for us and it's an opportunity for a lot of guys to step up that way."
Unfortunately for the Bruins, waiting for someone or some people to "step up" has become an organizational mantra and it hasn't gotten them very far since the last time they made the playoffs.
Matt Kalman covers the Bruins for CBSBoston.com and also contributes to NHL.com and several other media outlets. Follow him on Twitter @TheBruinsBlog.
