Miller replacing McQuaid in B’s lineup vs. Leafs

TORONTO – The Bruins will make a switch with their defensemen group, but it won’t be to add newly acquired Nick Holden into the lineup.

Instead, Kevan Miller will draw back in for the Bruins after missing the past nine games due to an upper-body injury, and Adam McQuaid will be a healthy scratch after playing pretty well since his return from the injured list.

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Holden will be a healthy scratch in his first game with Boston, as Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy starts to map out a plan with his newfound D-men depth ahead of the trade deadline on Monday afternoon.

“It’s a game-to-game, day-to-day decision. We’ll get through today and then see what we’ve got,” said Cassidy. “[Holden] will get in there eventually. I just don’t want to pinpoint a date. [Miller] is in for McQuaid. Adam did a great job, and Kevan did a great job before he got hurt. That’s always a tough call when you’re playing guys that are healthy, but it’s a good problem to have in the long run.”

With a back-to-back situation in Buffalo where they play a second game in less than 24 hours, there’s every possibility Cassidy could opt for some fresh bodies against the Sabres after an expectedly hard-fought game vs. Toronto.

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Other than Miller stepping in for McQuaid, the Bruins will ice the same lineup as they did out in Western Canada and will start Tuukka Rask against the Maple Leafs team that originally drafted him before trading him to Boston. Here are the projected line combos and D-pairings based on the morning skate at the Air Canada Centre: