(Photo: Bob DeChiara / USA TODAY Sports)
By: Patrick Donnelly | Follow me on Twitter @PatDonn12
Boston Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller has been named the Boston Professional Hockey Writers Association (PWHA) chapter’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. The Masterton is annually awarded to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
A player from all 31 franchises is nominated for the award each year, with the recipient being announced at the NHL Awards during the offseason. Here are all nominees for the 2019-20 season:
Miller has not skated in a game for the Bruins since April 2, 2019, where he suffered a broken right kneecap, which required surgery. The 32-year-old suffered a setback while trying to come back during the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, breaking his kneecap and having a procedure for the injury once again. The right-shot defenseman had spent the majority of the 2019-20 season rehabbing his knee before suffering another setback in March, which required a third surgery on his knee.
In April, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney ruled out the possibility that Miller suits up in a game for Boston this season, even with the added recovery time as when exactly games will resume is still a question. A native of Los Angeles, CA, Miller is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of this season; however, Sweeney said that the team would explore options to re-sign the bruiser.
Boston signed Miller as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Vermont in 2011. Through 324 career NHL contests, the 6-foot-2, 210 pound blueliner has 12 goals and 55 assists for 77 points in addition to 261 penalty minutes and a plus-80 rating.
Boston captain Zdeno Chara was the team’s nominee last season. Former Bruins to have won the Masterton include: Phil Kessel (2006-07), Cam Neely (1993-94), Gord Kluzak (1989-90), and Charlie Simmer (1985-86).
Check out the new Black N’ Gold Hockey Podcast episode 181 that we recorded below on 5-30-20! You can find our show on many worldwide platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, SoundCloud, and Stitcher!
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