Apr 20, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins head coach Claude Julien talks with the team during the third period against the Detroit Red Wings in game two of the first round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Banknorth Garden. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Injury Update
Good injury news for the Boston Bruins who are headed to face the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena for Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
We saw Kevan Miller returned to the Bruins’ lineup in Game 2, which is obviously a plus if you’re Claude Julien. And it could be possible that Daniel Paille and Chris Kelly slip onto gameday ice soon, since they will both travel to Detroit with the B’s.
Paille has been recovering from a concussion sustained after taking a big hit in the Apr. 12 match against the Buffalo Sabres. Kelly hasn’t appeared in a game since he suffered a lower body injury that cut his time short on Apr. 8.
Dennis Seidenberg and Adam McQuaid skated in an optional non-contact practice earlier today.
“I went to our trainers and asked if it was okay for and McQuaid to skate today with the rest of the team,” said Julien. “Because there’s no contact, there’s nothing, it’s just a simple drill so it’s the same drills that they did before we went on the ice with that group. They were on early here and stayed on with that group.”
Seidenberg tore his ACL and MCL back in December, and the recovery period for that sort of injury can range from 5-8 months. CSNNE’s Joe Haggerty (link above) makes a point that Raffi Torres had a similar ailment to Seidenberg, and he recuperated in five months. In that case, the Bruins’ defenseman would be ready to go in June.
Then again, if the Bruins’ were still in the postseason, Seidenberg may have trouble getting adjusted to such high-caliber hockey.
McQuaid’s leg injury, on the other hand, isn’t as serious but revolves around “soft tissue.” So, Chiarelli and Julien are working him back into the mix slowly. A timeline for his revival isn’t clear right now.
In Detroit, the Bruins play Game 3 tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. and Game 4 Thursday at 8:00 p.m.