Miller sustained a throat injury during the first period of the Bruins/Leafs game on November 26. Initial x-rays on Monday evening were negative. He underwent a CT scan in the hospital which revealed a cartilage injury to the larynx, which was reviewed and re-confirmed upon his return to Boston. It was previously announced on November 28 that Miller will be out and re-evaluated in approximately five weeks.
McAvoy, 20, appeared in the Bruins' first seven games this season, but has missed the team's last 20 games with an upper-body injury. In his first full professional season with the Bruins in 2017-18, the 6-foot, 208-pound defenseman tallied seven goals and 25 assists for 32 points with a plus-20 rating in 63 games.
Smith, 24, has skated in 14 games with Dallas this season, posting two goals and one assist for three points. He ranked second on the Stars with 1.08 goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 play this year. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound forward recorded a career-best offensive season in 2017-18, notching six goals and five assists for 11 points with a plus-5 rating in 46 appearances. Smith entered the NHL in the 2016-17 season with Dallas, tallying three goals and three assists for six points in 17 games.
Smith spent three seasons with Dallas' AHL affiliate, the Texas Stars, from 2014-17. In 186 career AHL games, he compiled 35 goals and 51 assists for 86 points with 106 penalty minutes and a plus-10 rating.
The Toronto, Ontario native was originally selected by Dallas in the fourth round (104th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.
Clifton, 23, has appeared in nine games with Boston this season, making his NHL debut on November 16 at Dallas. He has also skated in 14 games with Providence this season, tallying four assists with a plus-four rating (third on team).
He played in 54 games with the Providence Bruins in 2017-18, tallying four goals and nine assists for 13 points with 35 penalty minutes and a plus-11 rating. The rookie blueliner ranked fifth on the team in plus/minus and third among the team's defensemen in scoring.
