Post by Admin on Jul 14, 2016 17:28:02 GMT -5
Defenseman Colin Miller was inked to a two-year deal worth an average annual of $1 million, and defenseman Joe Morrow signed a one-year deal worth $800,000.
The B’s now have seven defensemen — Miller, Morrow, Zdeno Chara, Torey Krug, John-Michael Liles, Kevan Miller and Adam McQuaid — under contract and, barring a trade, that appears the six-pack plus one to start the season.
The 23-year-old Colin Miller came to the Bruins last year in the Milan Lucic trade. After an excellent 2014-15 season with the Calder Cup-winning Manchester Monarchs, he played 42 games here last season, posting 16 points (three goals) with an even rating. He also played 20 games in Providence (four goals, eight assists). A strong skater with a good shot who likes to hit, Miller mainly needs to improve in his own end.
Morrow, 23, who projects to be the seventh defenseman, is the last piece left of the disastrous Tyler Seguin trade. In 33 games last year, he had a goal, six assists and a minus-7 rating.
RFAs right winger Brian Ferlin and defenseman Chris Casto were extended qualifying offers last week.
Heinen impresses
Bruins director of amateur scouting Keith Gretzky pushed the envelope with a couple of his choices in the past two drafts. Time will tell whether forwards Zach Senyshyn and Trent Frederic turn out to be steals or bad reaches.
His first draft as the head of the scouting department in 2014 is shaping up as promising. It looks like a home run with David Pastrnak with the 26th pick. Second-round pick Ryan Donato had a decent freshman season at Harvard and fifth-rounder Anders Bjork is building a promising career at Notre Dame. All three are forwards.
But the best of the crop might turn out to be Danton Heinen, the team’s fourth-rounder who signed last spring following his sophomore season at the University of Denver. The forward was one of the top freshmen in the country two years ago with 16 goals and 29 assists in 40 games and posted 20 goals and 28 assists in 41 games last year. He played two games for the Providence B’s and picked up two assists.
Lauzon draws praise
Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon might not be a finished product, but he is getting strong reviews.
“He had a terrific year,” Dean said. “It’s fun watching the kid because he’s on the edge all the time. Every shift on the ice, he’s probably picking himself off or running into the goalie, but he’s also making a good play. He competes extremely hard. I haven’t seen him other than the (rookie) games in Buffalo last year, but he’s smart, he’s a gamer. He’s that guy who probably doesn’t look as good as some here, but when the puck drops, he’s better than most. He’s fun to watch. Those guys are fun to coach. They want to play, they want to affect the game, and that’s Jeremy’s greatest asset.” . . .
www.bostonherald.com/sports/bruins/2016/07/bruins_notebook_defensemen_colin_miller_and_joe_morrow_sign_deals
