LAS VEGAS — The Golden Knights had two logical choices to nab from the Bruins – Colin Miller or Adam McQuaid.

In the end, they chose the player with more upside and potential over the proven bottom pairing veteran defenseman.

As leaks took place prior to Wednesday’s Expansion Draft on social media, speculation turned into confirmation when names, like Miller, were selected as part of the NHL Award ceremonies.

#NHLBruins GM Don Sweeney on Colin Miller: "The Boston Bruins want to thank Colin for his time and contributions to our organization…"

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) June 22, 2017

Sweeney (cont): "We wish Colin well as he begins an exciting new chapter."

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) June 22, 2017

Acquired in the Milan Lucic trade from the Los Angeles Kings, the Bruins were hoping for Miller to develop into a solid two-way defenseman. At times, he was able to showcase his potential through his blistering slap shot and improved play in the defensive end.

As with any young defenseman, especially in today’s NHL, Miller had his moments of inconsistent play. Though he was trending upwards, especially after tallying a career-high six goals in 2016-17, the 24-year-old still struggled to remain on the ice on a consistent basis. Whether it was injuries or struggles on the back end, Miller only played in 103 games during his two-year tenure in Boston.

With the Bruins having high hopes of Brandon Carlo and Charlie McAvoy solidifying the right side of their blue-line for years to come, and with a solid pool in the defensive pipeline like Jeremy Lauzon, Miller was made expendable in Don Sweeney’s final list of available players in the Expansion Draft. Miller may not have been an ideal player for some B’s fans to be left unprotected for Wednesday’s event compared to Kevan Miller, but all things considered the 2012 fifth round pick would’ve had an uphill climb towards gaining more ice time in Boston.

Miller’s future in Vegas may even be brief. With Golden Knights GM George McPhee selecting a handful of defenseman for his initial roster, including Jason Garrison, Marc Methot and Las Vegas’ own Deryk Engelland Miller may be an enticing name on the trade block, especially for a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs.

With the Expansion Draft over, the trade freeze will be lifted at 8 am on Thursday morning. The Bruins may have a lost a young defenseman, but just like the rest of the teams in the National Hockey League, that is only the start of what expects to be a chaotic summer in the professional hockey world.