Should Miller Be a Forward?

[Sod16]

I often muse about this, and after Valriera mentioned it in the game post last night, I was thinking a thread should be devoted to this topic.

[josh]

No. Although I did do a side ballsy prediction that he’d play a few games at forward a few years ago. 
 

he should actually be a stay-at-home guy that can add these plays to his repertoire. His best offensive plays come from his defense. 

[Cash or Czech]

Oh great, another left winger

[Br4d]

Maybe Miller should be a center?

[Albatrosss]

Maybe Miller should be a goalie?

[Phil]

No. The team needs him on defense, so he needs to keep developing there.

[Scott]

2 minutes ago, Phil said:

No. The team needs him on defense, so he needs to keep developing there.

No. see above.

Edited December 19, 2022 by jsrangers

[Albatrosss]

Yeah Phil.  Start reading the posts above yours. 

[Ozzy]

In a word:  No

[Kick save and a beauty]

No on the OPs question but i do sometimes wish he would develop more of a mean streak and play to his body size.  He is just a bit too much of a gentle giant IMO

[Ozzy]

2 minutes ago, Kick save and a beauty said:

No on the OPs question but i do sometimes wish he would develop more of a mean streak and play to his body size.  He is just a bit too much of a gentle giant IMO

 

Kicks is dead on here with what I think too!

[Pete]

Nobody "develops" a mean streak, you either have it or you don't. I've seen Trouba's "mean streak" lead him wildly out of position looking for hits.

Key can't afford to be out of position any more than he already is. 

 

Just because you're big doesn't mean you need to pop people to use your size to your advantage.

[BrooksBurner]

Nope. But I’d trade Key for a good defender in his own zone, ++.

[jsm7302]

10 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

Nope. But I’d trade Key for a good defender in his own zone, ++.

I don't look at him as a huge liability in his own zone. The dudes reach and positional play is what makes him serviceable on the backend. I like his play. Def one of my current favorites on the roster.

[Pete]

1 minute ago, jsm7302 said:

I don't look at him as a huge liability in his own zone. The dudes reach and positional play is what makes him serviceable on the backend. I like his play. Def one of my current favorites on the roster.

Agree. No more of a liability in his zone than any other defender not named Lindgren.

 

I wouldn't trade Miller without getting a proper defensive coach/system in place.

[Morphinity 2.0]

I've half joked about it for a couple years. He's obviously got offensive ability, but no, just for the organizations benefit he should remain at D. Not that he's very good at it - totally lost in his own zone. But if he can ever figure out how to not lose his coverage all game, he could definitely be a dual threat! 

[lefty9]

33 minutes ago, Kick save and a beauty said:

No on the OPs question but i do sometimes wish he would develop more of a mean streak and play to his body size.  He is just a bit too much of a gentle giant IMO

I think he will play more physical with age ,he still young ,he is also going to more weight 

I do see his physical play the last year has picked up

[Phil]

59 minutes ago, Pete said:

Nobody "develops" a mean streak, you either have it or you don't. I've seen Trouba's "mean streak" lead him wildly out of position looking for hits.

Key can't afford to be out of position any more than he already is. 

 

Just because you're big doesn't mean you need to pop people to use your size to your advantage.

 

Agreed. I'm still waiting for McDonagh's to develop. cc @Puck Head

 

Trouba is mean. Key isn't. He almost certainly never will be.

[BlairBettsBlocksEverything]

In a few years when we are thinking of him the way Bruins fans think of Chara we'll remember he is/always will be a defenseman. 

 

His size/long reach is his biggest asset and he uses it in the defensive zone like he's a long time NHL vet already.

 

It might be nice for him to get a mean streak like was just mentioned before but I also don't think he needs it to be effective defensively. Just keep making those poke checks and defensive plays. He doesn't need to intimidate anyone to stop them. Just frustrate everyone who has trouble getting around him and outstepping him

[BrooksBurner]

49 minutes ago, jsm7302 said:

I don't look at him as a huge liability in his own zone. The dudes reach and positional play is what makes him serviceable on the backend. I like his play. Def one of my current favorites on the roster.

He’s serviceable yeah. I don’t dislike him, but for me it’s a matter of cap. I’m just not sacrificing Lindgren for him, and you can’t pay too many defensemen on a team where defense sucks. To @Pete’s point, and I’ve said the same, I’d wait to trade if a coaching change is possible since Key might flourish in a better defensive system. Hard to see Gallant going anywhere now, at the moment.

[BrooksBurner]

58 minutes ago, Pete said:

Agree. No more of a liability in his zone than any other defender not named Lindgren.

 

I wouldn't trade Miller without getting a proper defensive coach/system in place.

If you pay Miller, keeping Lindgren becomes problematic. They can keep both if they really want to, but they would have to sacrifice at forward. I don’t know think that’s the way to go.

[Jdog99]

Would be interesting to see him in that brendan smith 4th line role so we can consider have an extra D on the bench

[Sod16]

It's late in the day, but Miller probably would have been better off on the wing if you were to go back to when he was 18.  If one of our to be signed players must go at the end of the year, it cannot be Lindgren.  He's got a good four years before his body is beaten into submission and he becomes the Human Maintenance Day.  Actually, he hasn't been on line at the blood bank so much this year.  

[Ozzy]

I'd like to see K' on PP2 instead of "Fumble Fingers".  LOL

 

Although it looks like Trouba was swinging for the fences last night.  ....guy took more shots than me at the bar during happy hour!!