In the offensive zone, being stationed on the left side sets up Miller to launch his one-timer, one of the better such strikes on the Bruins’ roster.

In the defensive zone, it sets the fleet-footed Miller in the preferred position to wheel around the net, which has become the go-to method to initiate the breakout over the D-to-D pass.

The neutral-zone challenges — making clean passes up the wall to the posted-up wing, receiving cross-ice pucks on his backhand — are ones that Miller is willing to face.


“I don’t mind it, to be honest with you,” said Miller. “It’s just really in the neutral zone, sometimes you get caught a little bit making the pass up the wall more difficult. I think if I put myself in good position from the start, that won’t happen.”

The 24-year-old remains a work in progress. His puck-pushing exuberance sometimes deposits him in the teeth of the opposition. He can sail his booming point shot wide of the net. But Miller has calmed his game down to the point where his bosses trust him on the left side of the third tandem.

“Colin going over there, I don’t think it’s hurt him,” coach Bruce Cassidy said before Thursday’s 7-4 loss to Edmonton. “His ability to skate pucks out of trouble without skating into the trap has been very good. It’s something we weren’t sure would happen. But he’s been able to separate from people on his forehand and make a good, strong play. That’s one of the challenges of playing your off side.”

There are more left-shot than right-shot players in the NHL. On the blue line, this split usually requires one or more left-shot defensemen on each team to play their off side. The Oilers, for example, dressed four left-shot defensemen (Oscar Klefbom, Andrej Sekera, Darnell Nurse, and Kris Russell) and two right-shot blue liners (Adam Larsson and Matt Benning) against the Bruins. Russell played the right side next to Sekera.


The Bruins, in comparison, are unusual because four of their top six defensemen are right shots: Miller, Brandon Carlo, Adam McQuaid, and Kevan Miller. In theory, three of the four should be left-shot defensemen.

When they start playing hockey, youth players are usually instructed to clasp their strong hands around the butt ends of their sticks. Of the four, only Kevan Miller writes with his left hand. Left shots Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug, for example, write with their right hands.

On Jan. 24 against Detroit, Colin Miller (knee) and Kevan Miller (concussion) returned to the blue line and skated on the third pairing. Kevan Miller was on the left side. The Bruins were satisfied with the stay-at-homer’s left-side performance. But he is a hard-to-play-against right-side defender in the defensive zone. Not many wings or defenders enjoy the weight of the No. 86 bus when he pinches down the right boards in the offensive zone.

So on March 4 against New Jersey, the Millers switched sides. For the last seven games, Colin Miller has assumed left-side responsibilities on the No. 3 tandem. Unless injuries strike, it appears this will be the preferred setup.

“Defending-wise, he’s been fine over there, Colin,” Cassidy said. “I don’t think there’s any pivoting issues or opening up too soon and getting beat to the inside, for the most part. It happens to every player, getting beaten one-on-one. There was one instance [Wednesday against Calgary] when it happened to him, but I think he was on the right side when it did happen. I like his game over there. I like them as a pair. I have for a while. I think it’s a real solid third pair that gives us a little bit of everything. So far, so good.”


Colin Miller’s left-side presence could also be a long-term solution. The 20-year-old Carlo will be a right-side fixture. So will right-shot defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who could be a full-time NHLer as soon as his sophomore season at Boston University concludes. Even if the Vegas Golden Knights claim McQuaid or Kevan Miller in expansion, one of the two stay-at-homers will remain in Boston. It leaves the left side behind Chara and Krug as Colin Miller’s best opportunity for ice time.

If the Bruins choose the 7-3-1 format (seven forwards, three defensemen, one goalie) for expansion protection, it’s likely that Colin Miller will join Chara and Krug on the protected list. He is signed for one more season at $1 million annually. He is younger than McQuaid (30) and Kevan Miller (29). Colin Miller is better at carrying the puck and working the power play than his defensive-minded counterparts.

The upcoming expansion draft, however, is not in anyone’s mind. The Bruins are still fighting for their playoff lives. John-Michael Liles and Joe Morrow are pushing to play.


“I think Millsy and I have found some chemistry,” Colin Miller said. “I enjoy playing with him. It’s been good for us so far. But there’s eight defensemen. Things could change pretty quickly.”

Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawa@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeFluto.