Bruins' Kevan Miller retires from NHL in heartfelt IG statement originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Bruins' longest-tenured blue liner is calling it quits.
Bruins defenseman Kevan Miller announced his NHL retirement Wednesday morning in an Instagram post, citing health issues after battling injuries over the last two seasons.
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"Although my spirit for the game is there, unfortunately my body isn't," Miller wrote. "My overall health and my family are now the priority. This was not an easy decision to make but it's time to hang up my skates."
Miller spent his entire professional career with the Bruins, who signed him to an entry-level contract after he went undrafted out of the University of Vermont in 2011. The hard-nosed defenseman spent three-plus seasons with Boston's AHL affiliate in Providence before finally landing with the B's during the 2013-14 season.
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Miller played 352 games for Boston over seven seasons as a reliable defenseman, tallying 71 points (13 goals, 58 assists) as a plus-79.
The 33-year-old missed the entire 2019-20 season due to a lower-body injury, however, and appeared in just 28 games for Boston last season.
With Miller retired and Zdeno Chara departing last season, 24-year-old Brandon Carlo now is the Bruins' longest-tenured defenseman. While Charlie McAvoy, Carlo and Matt Grzelcyk represent a solid young core, the B's should look to add a veteran D-man this offseason to fill Miller's void.
