Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy announced on Monday that the team would be without Patrice Bergeron for their upcoming games against the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators.
The Bruins announced that Patrice Bergeron would miss the upcoming two-game road trip, but also said that there is currently no timeline for his return. The injury is the same one that forced Bergeron to miss two games last week, likely indicating that this has been and will be an ongoing issue for the Bruins.
Bergeron was in the lineup when the Bruins beat the Minnesota Wild 5-4 in overtime on Saturday night, which was likely when he reaggravated the injury.
Bergeron has dealt with numerous injuries over recent seasons, including a groin injury that slowed him down during the playoffs last season and into training camp this year. Bergeron’s injury history is a long one, and at 34-years-old it becomes more important to deal with these injuries early on.
The one good thing is that this injury came up in November, and not later on in the season. That’s why the Bruins should take the time to nurse this injury now, rather than rushing Bergeron back into the lineup.
Missing one of your first line forwards is never ideal, but it could be a lot worse for the Bruins. David Krejci has proven that he is more than capable of stepping up to play alongside Brad Marchand and fellow Czech-native David Pastrnak.
Charlie Coyle is also capable of moving up to play on the second line, and the Bruins have plenty of young players looking for their chance in the NHL. Most notably, Jack Studnicka will get his first chance to play in the NHL. In his first pro season, Studnicka currently leads the Providence Bruins with nine goals and nine assists through 21 games.
The Bruins have been one of the best teams in the NHL to start the season, and while it’s still very early, they need to consider making sure that their star players are ready to go as the regular season winds down and playoffs begin. This is a chance for the Bruins to let Bergeron rest and recover, as well as find out what they really have in some of their prospects.