Boston Bruins: Updates on Matt Grzelcyk, Jakub Zboril, and Ondrej Kase

After almost nearly being completed healthy, the Boston Bruins once again are having some injury troubles. The worst part is that it’s impacting an already thin left side of their defense.

The B’s are now down two left-shot defensemen. Matt Grzelcyk, who has been pretty injury prone so far this season, and now rookie Jakub Zboril are currently injured.

Grzelcyk suffered yet another lower-body injury in Boston’s most recent game against the Philadelphia Flyers. This is now Grizz’s third time this season with a lower-body injury.

Zboril, who has been getting better and better in regard to his level of play this season, suffered an upper-body injury early on in the Black and Gold’s last game against the New York Islanders.

Matt Grzelcyk and Jakub Zboril didn’t practice and could miss some extended time for the Boston Bruins.

Both Grizz and Zboril didn’t practice today, Feb. 15. Additionally, head coach Bruce Cassidy said that Grzelcyk had an MRI yesterday and doesn’t expect either him nor Zboril to skate tomorrow.

This isn’t a good sign for either defenseman. With Grzelcyk suffering so many lower-body injuries in such a short period of time, I think it would be best for him to be placed on injured reserve and take some time to get to 100%.

With Zboril, I’m not exactly sure the extent of his injury, but missing two straight practices wouldn’t be a good sign. With him being a rookie, his job could be on the line if John Moore, Urho Vaakanainen, or Connor Clifton plays extremely well in his absence.

The Boston Bruins still don’t have a timetable for Ondrej Kase’s return.

Right wing Ondrej Kase has now been out since the middle of the second period of the second game of the season with an upper-body injury.

Today, Cassidy gave an update on Kase that wasn’t very encouraging. Cassidy said that Kase has been skating by himself, but is still not ready to return to practicing with the team.

It’s nice that Kase is skating again, but him not being able to skate with the team is concerning. Again, Kase has a history of concussions and this may be another one, which wouldn’t be good for his career.

Along with these three players, defenseman Kevan Miller also missed practice today. However, Cassidy clarified that Miller’s absence was just a maintenance day.

The Bruins were so close to being completely healthy, but of course that just couldn’t happen. It’s going to be tough for the B’s defense to play with two main assets to their already thin left side.