PHOTO COURTESY OF BOSTONBRUINS.COM  |  Caryn Switaj contributed to this report

Santa Clarita native Kevan Miller signed a two-year contract on Tuesday to play with the Boston Bruins through the 2015-16 season.

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Miller, who grew up in Canyon Country and attended Canyon High School, started playing roller hockey at age 6 with other kids in his neighborhood.

After moving to Western Massachusetts when he was 16 years old, Miller attended the University of Vermont and subsequently was drafted by the Providence Bruins, the Boston Bruins’ minor league affiliate.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound defensive defenseman has impressed through his first 16 NHL games with Boston during the 2013-14 season, after making his debut on November 21, 2013 against the St. Louis Blues.

Related articles: Boston Bruins Defenseman Kevan Miller Ready For NHL Homecoming

His first NHL goal came four games later, in Toronto on Dec. 8, and proved to be the game-winner,  according to a blog post on the Boston Bruins’ official website.

“He’s a defensive defenseman who makes good strong plays,” Bruins Head Coach Claude Julien, after Miller’s debut came with Dennis Seidenberg and Adam McQuaid sidelined by injuries, the post read. “He was strong, I really liked his game. I thought he was a poised player out there for his first real NHL game.”

Miller played with the Providence affiliate for two seasons and a portion of a third, during which he was called up to play for the Bruins when one of their players suffered an injury.

Related articles: Hometown Hockey Player Kevan Miller Signed With Boston Bruins

The 26-year-old had originally been sent back down to the Providence Bruins prior to playing in his 10th NHL game. If he played Game No. 10, he would have been subject to waivers on the way down, and likely claimed.

Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli didn’t want to take that risk, the blog post noted.

“I’ve been called up a few times this year, so I think I understand my role,” he said in a previous interview with KHTS AM-1220, after he was called up for his 10th game this season. “It’s been an ongoing process. They know what they’re getting from me, and I know what they expect.”

“He’s a strong, physical D-man. He’s physically mature, he can handle guys,” Chiarelli said in an interview with BostonBruins.com.  “He can close well, so he played well.”

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