Returning to a rink near you. Soon.
Among this group is one of the longer-term injuries for the Boston Bruins, that being the upper-body concerns of blue-liner John Moore.
Moore, who signed a five-year pact with the Boston Bruins in 2018, appeared in the Stanley Cup Final last year, albeit at that point he was playing hurt and had all but given in to the fact that he’d need major work in the summer.
He had surgery on his shoulder back on June 26th with the original timeline for his recovery putting him back on the ice as early as October or possibly even as late as early January. As of this moment, he is now back skating but we figure it’s still a little time before he’s back in the line-up.
Patrice Bergeron, it’s likely has been carrying his injury for a significant time, perhaps a minor niggle that re-surfaces from time to time. The Boston Bruins have taken a first step in the NHL towards what was termed ‘load management’ by the championship-winning Toronto Raptors in the NBA last year.
In not icing Bergeron against the Capitals, they were giving him a night off due to the robust nature of both fixtures and ensuring they don’t lose him for four or five games further down the schedule. A smart move, really.
Looking to get back very soon is Torey Krug; his placement on injured reserve retroactively likely to be a pure financial move. Expect to see him back on the ice soon, possibly even against the Devils.
We don’t have official timelines for Jake Debrusk or Brett Ritchie, but both have played their role this year already and will hopefully be back in competitive action soon. Both players are back on the ice and practising, so you’d have to also assume it’s sooner rather than later for them, though reportedly, Ritchie is closer than Debrusk to a return – possibly Tuesday.
Finally, Kevan Miller isn’t yet back skating with the team in a contact jersey, so between his and Moore’s extended absences, guys like Connor Clifton and Urho Vaakanainen are really getting a chance to prove themselves as NHL-calibre defensemen.
Safe to say, it’s quite the list for mid-November. Let’s hope it’s as bad as it gets this season for the Boston Bruins when it comes to injuries.