Boston Bruins: Five players destined for 2021 taxi squad

Which defensemen could end up on the Boston Bruins’ taxi squad?

Predicting which defensemen will be on Boston’s taxi squad is a bit tougher than I thought it was going to be. This is because of players such as Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril. Either one could make the regular roster with the holes that Torey Krug and Zdeno Chara have left.

Chara still being undecided about the 2021 season also makes things difficult. If he decides to return to the B’s for 2021, things could look a lot different.

However, in this case, I’m going with Chara not returning, which will make the Black and Gold’s defensive pairings look like this:

Matt Grzelcyk – Charlie McAvoy
Zboril – Brandon Carlo
Jeremy Lauzon – Connor Clifton

Extra: John Moore

As you can see, Zboril made the roster but Vaakanainen didn’t. Did he make the taxi squad?

Steven Kampfer

Steven Kampfer has over 200 NHL games under his belt, including 45 for the Bruins over the last two seasons. At 32 years old, he’s a veteran that would slot in nicely on the taxi squad.

Over his 211 NHL games, Kampfer has scored 13 goals and 21 assists for 34 points. He also has a career plus/minus (+/-) of -4 and an average ice time of 15:47.

So it makes sense to have Kampfer on the taxi squad as he has NHL experience and can handle himself on a third pairing if needed.

Kevan Miller

Kevan Miller hasn’t played an NHL game since April of 2019 due to an injury, making his one-year, $1.25 deal that he signed with the Bruins at the beginning of free agency a bit surprising.

Miller is still currently on the IR, however, he has been saying that he will be ready for the start of the 2021 season. With 324 NHL games under his belt, Miller has registered 12 goals and 55 assists for 67 points and has a career +/- of +80.

However, with the depth the B’s have on the right side of their defense, there just isn’t a spot for him in the lineup or on the regular roster with Moore needed because of the lack of experience and depth of the left side of the defense.

Miller may start the season off on loan in the AHL to get some game action, but I think he’ll eventually make his way to the taxi squad. Leaving him in the AHL will block younger players from playing while having him on the taxi squad allows him to practice with the NHL team and also still buries his contract without blocking prospects.

So, Vaakanainen didn’t make the taxi squad either. I have him playing consistently in the AHL. But there still is one spot left on the taxi squad. This may go to a prospect like Vaakanainen or Studnicka, or the Bruins could go out and sign a veteran.

With Boston in “win-now mode”, I think it would be more beneficial for them to have veterans on their taxi squad. While practicing and traveling with the team is definitely beneficial for the development of prospects, I think playing in games consistently is more important for them.