It's Been a Long Road Back for Miller

BOSTON - There were times over the last year when Kevan Miller thought he might never play hockey again. As he grinded through endless hours of grueling rehab, he would wonder to himself if any of it was really going to work, if the physical pain and sacrifice through four knee surgeries was really worth it.
The doubt in his mind was real. And so was the regret, as he played over in his head the Bruins' Game 7 loss to the St. Louis Blues in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, believing that had he been healthy, he could have helped his teammates to a title.

"I'd be totally lying to you if there weren't some times where I was staring at myself in the mirror going, 'I don't know if this is going to work, if I'm ever going to make it back," said Miller.
But ultimately, it was that feeling of unfinished business - and the constant support of his family, friends, coaches, and teammates - that kept him focused and his drive alive.
"It's definitely been a test," said Miller. "But I think I'll come out stronger from it and I know that my knee will be 100 percent and ready to go, and I'll have not one bit to worry about with that. I'm super excited for that…I just remember watching up in the stands…knowing I could help. I still lose sleep over that. I'm excited to be back and to be chasing that again. I'm really looking forward to getting back after it."
The 32-year-old now has that chance after signing a one-year contract with an NHL cap hit worth $1.25 million with the Bruins - the only organization he has known across his nine-year NHL career - on Friday evening, just hours after the opening of free agency.
"I've always wanted to play in Boston," said Miller. "It's where I started and it's where I envisioned playing this year…I've never gone to free agency. It was something I had thought about, my agent and I had talked about. But I think, just the organization, the coaching staff, the guys…I have a true love for the city and the people there, my teammates, my coaches.
"It was an easy decision to come back. And in all honesty, I think me personally, I have some unfinished business there and I really want to win and that's my main goal. I think this gives me the best opportunity to do that."

The California native has battled through a brutal 18-month rehab, plagued by numerous setbacks, to reach this point where he can extend his career. Miller has not suited up for an NHL game since April 4, 2019, when an awkward fall into the boards during the Bruins' penultimate game of the regular season in Minnesota left him with a broken kneecap.
It was just his third game back after missing extended time with an oblique injury, which along with a fractured larynx and broken hand earlier in the 2018-19 season limited him to a career-low 39 games.
And then, while rehabbing during the Eastern Conference Final in Carolina, Miller re-injured the knee during off-ice training - this time a far worse horizontal fracture - ending any chance of a return for the Stanley Cup Final against St. Louis. Another surgery kept him sidelined until last November when he was finally able to rejoin his teammates for practice.
But more setbacks and procedures followed and, eventually, Miller was shut down for the entire 2019-20 season, putting his career in serious jeopardy.
"I came back last year in October [and started skating], I was days away from being cleared to play. And that's what's so unfortunate. It really wasn't like a catastrophic injury," Miller said of the setback. "There was a series of kind of bad luck and some unfortunate things that happened and maybe a little bit of over training and a little bit of [being] naive on some aspects of it, how things would go. I was so close to being back.
"I think just the time to heal correctly without a timetable on it [was what I needed]…I have no real, true issues with the knee. No arthritis, no ligament damage, no nothing. It's just a bone heal and a little bit of the quad tendon that needed a little bit of time. And that's where I'm ready to go. I'm fortunate.
"I have a little bit of work still ahead of me, but I know that come time when it's puck drop, that I'll be ready to go. And I can promise you, I'll be itching to get on the ice and pull that jersey over my head."
If the 2020-21 campaign had started under normal circumstances this past week, Miller - who has been skating for a couple of weeks - said that he would not yet be cleared for game action. But with the NHL not expected to commence the new season until January, he expects to be full go when the Bruins return.
"I'm doing really well. Knee is feeling great, body is feeling great," said Miller. "Obviously, had a lot of time to get things in order. I'm making really good progress. I've been skating two to three times a week. I've been training. I'm really, super excited to have the opportunity to play again. If we were playing right now, I wouldn't be cleared. But come puck drop, I definitely will be. I have no doubt in my mind I will be 100 percent by then."
Miller said he was cleared for skating roughly six weeks ago, but after suffering so many setbacks in his recovery, the focus has been on taking a cautious approach.
"We've been really focusing on, rehab-wise, just making sure the strength and everything off ice was good before [I started skating]," said Miller. "I was advised to make sure that everything off ice was in order first and then from there, step on the ice. It was great to put the skates back on. I'm feeling great on the ice and making good progress. I'll be ready to go here really soon."
After such a lengthy ordeal, that was no doubt as difficult mentally as it was physically, Miller said he was grateful for the Bruins being so patient as he tried to work his way back, noting that he never made it to a point where he was taking offers from other clubs.
"They were super respectful and gave me the space to kind of make sure that I was good between the ears and my knee was good," said Miller. "Made some really good progress, and we started to pick up some conversations a few weeks ago. They were kind of feeling out my engagement, how my knee was coming along, No. 1.
"They had, obviously, good access with how it's progressed because I'm still seeing the trainers and everybody out in Boston, the docs and everybody. So, they know exactly where I stand with that and that I'll be ready to go here come puck drop."
Just moments before Miller's new deal was announced, word broke across social media that his longtime teammate and fellow blue liner Torey Krug had signed a seven-year deal with the St. Louis Blues. The news took Miller by surprise.
"Ah, man. Did he really? That's a bummer. Ah, man," Miller said after being asked about Krug's departure. "Obviously, he'll certainly be missed from a player standpoint. From a personal standpoint, I've been basically with the guy for my entire career and his entire career. He's a good friend and I wish him nothing but the best.
"But I'll tell him to keep his head up when we face St. Louis. In all reality, that's tough news for us but I wish him the best and he'll certainly be missed."