Dennis Seidenberg out for the season with knee injury.

Dec 23, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman

(44) handles the puck against the Nashville Predators during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. The Bruins beat the Predators 6-2. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

Dennis Seidenberg has been one of those core players for the Boston Bruins. Near the end of the Bruins-Senators game in Boston, Seidenberg’s right leg buckled sideways as he collided with Ottawa forward Cory Conacher behind the Boston net. It’s a credit to his strength and conditioning that Seidenberg made it off the ice under his own power. He did require assistance getting down the runway to the dressing room.

It was discovered that the 32-year-old Seidenberg tore the ACL and MCL in his right knee. The doctors who made the determination declared that Seidenberg would be done for the season. The estimated time they believe it will take to achieve a full recovery is six to eight months, and unless Seidenberg has a recovery that runs on par with the one experienced by Tampa Bay Lightning’s Steven Stamkos, then the doctor’s prediction will sadly be true.

Seidenberg earned ten points(one goal) and a plus-11 rating for the thirty four games he has played in Boston. He led the Bruins with sixty six blocked shots and was fifth in hits with sixty one.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Seidenberg is one of the Bruins’ top defensemen. He averages barely under 21 minutes a game. Only Bruins Captain Zdeno Chara plays more then Seids does. Seidenberg was also a key member of the special teams on penalty kills.  During the regular season, he has been paired with Torey Krug, but during the playoffs the big German blueliner would be put on the ice with Chara to form one of the top shutdown defensive pairings in the NHL. This does not bode well for the Bruins in the postseason.

To counter the loss of Seidenberg, the Bruins activated 6-foot-3, 218-pound defenseman Zach Trotman from Providence of the AHL on an emergency basis. With the Olympic break coming in four weeks the Bruins may have to start shopping some of their extra forwards (or perhaps a goalie) to make up for the holes they have on their blue line.