Kevan Miller

Miller suffered a fractured knee cap that required surgery at the end of the 2018-19 regular season, and it remains unclear how close to 100 percent he'll be once training camp starts. The rugged blueliner finished last season with seven helpers and 35 PIM in 39 games. With numbers like that, Miller isn't much of a fantasy factor, but the 31-year-old's sturdy play along the boards and sound positioning are assets to the Bruins' blue line.

Though Miller's one goal and 16 points in 68 games were not especially fantasy-friendly, the 30-year old has turned into a rock-solid defender for the Bruins, while displaying an improved ability to occasionally jump into the play to complement his established and rugged approach. Said gritty style resulted in Miller recording 70 PIM, 164 hits and 111 blocks in 2017-18. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder is set to reprise his regular role on the blue line this season, and in the third year of a four-year, $10 million deal.

At 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Miller continues to bring a hard-nosed and gritty presence to the Boston blue line, but due to his modest offensive upside, he’s not a viable option in most fantasy formats. The 29-year-old -- who has three seasons left on his four-year, $10 million contract -- is coming off a 2016-17 season in which he recorded three goals and 13 points to go along with 50 PIM in 58 games. Miller’s rugged style of play takes a toll on his body, but when he’s on the ice, the 29-year-old racks up his share of hits (121) and blocked shots (76), which account for much of his meager his fantasy relevance. This coming season, Miller (a righty) may be asked to work on the left side, but in a perfect world, he'd stay right where he is on the right side, an outcome that hinges on the team trading for a lefty-shooting defender or promoting a prospect who fits the bill.

At 6-foot-3, 212 pounds, Miller brings a hard-nosed and gritty presence to the Bruins' blue line, but as a result of his modest offensive upside, he's not a top tier blue line option in most formats. Miller, who signed a four-year, $10 million contract with the Bruins this past summer, is coming off a 2015-16 season in which he recorded five goal and 18 points to go along with 53 PIM in 71 games. In that span the rugged backlider also recorded 164 hits and 123 blocked shots.

Miller, whose 2014-15 season ended with dislocated right shoulder in February, recorded two goals and five assists in the 41 games he played in before being shut down. Though Miller doesn't offer much upside on offense, when healthy, he plays a sound and rugged brand of positional hockey that provides value to the team’s back line, as evidenced by the fact that the 27-year-old recorded a team-best plus-20 rating. As training camp approaches, he’s in line to jostle with the likes of Joe Morrow, Zach Trotman, Colin Miller and Matt Irwin for a spot on the B's third pairing.

With six points and 38 PIM in 47 NHL games last season, Miller was a marginal fantasy option, but his sturdy and reliable play was one of the team’s most pleasant surprises in real terms and was instrumental in helping the Bruins weather injuries to the likes of Adam McQuaid and Dennis Seidenberg. Miller enters the coming season as a proven NHLer, who figures to be hard to keep out of the lineup in spite of the team’s deep (and now more healthy) blue line corps.