It seems Kevan Miller is acutely aware of how fortunate he is to be in the position he's in with the Boston Bruins.
And how could he not be?
After injuries forced him to miss much of the 2018-19 campaign and all of last season, Miller's valiant rehab effort has allowed him to return to not just playing, but playing all the time.
The 33-year-old has yet to miss a game this season, and is averaging 18:45 ice time per contest, the third highest total in a single season thus far in his career.
This all comes as he plays with a newfound appreciation for the game he's spent much of his life playing.
"I'm grateful for every time I get to put my skates on," Miller said Wednesday over Zoom. "I have a different appreciation for the game now, I think, just going through what I've been through. I've had a lot of help to get where I'm at, but I'm very grateful for every day I get to put the skates on and go out and play and I'm enjoying every minute of it."
From a pure health standpoint, he's also in a good spot.
"So far, so good," Miller said. "I've got to take advantage of those (maintenance) days sometimes, it still gets sore after a lot of use. It's just one of those things that I'll take advantage when I can. Other than that, feeling pretty good."
So far this season, Miller has played almost exclusively with Jakub Zboril, helping serve as a mentor for the young Bruins blueliner. But with Zboril out at least for Thursday's game against the New Jersey Devils, it's likely Miller will be paired with John Moore.
