Boston Bruins: This Return Did Not Last Long

The last time that the Boston Bruins saw Ondrej Kase on the ice was Jan. 16 in their second regular-season game against the New Jersey Devils.

That all changed Monday night at the TD Garden against the New York Islanders in the Black and Gold’s final regular-season home game. After returning to practice on Friday, Kase returned to the lineup from an upper-body injury and placed on a line with Jake DeBrusk and the newly acquired Curtis Lazar.

Unfortunately for both the Bruins and Kase, his return lasted just two periods. He left the game with an upper-body injury after taking a hit from Islanders defensemen Adam Pelech, the team announced.

Kase played on just nine shifts during the Bruins 3-2 overtime win. He logged 6:49 of ice time and had two shots on the net. It’s a shame that he left with the injury, because in his short time out there, he looked better than some would have thought after missing nearly four months.

Acquired at the trade deadline in February of 2019 for David Backes, defensemen Axel Andersson and Boston’s 2020 first-round draft pick, it has been a disappointing time in Boston for the 25-year-old.

Following the game that clinched third place in the East Division and first-round playoff matchup with tonight’s opponent, the Washington Capitals, coach Bruce Cassidy said that the team hoped to know more about Kase’s injury Tuesday and that he didn’t think that he would travel to play the Caps tonight in the Bruins final regular-season game.

While getting a Kase return is nice, how much can he contribute to the Black and Gold in the postseason? Can he be counted on?

He has missed most of the season and right now, he’s a fourth-line right wing at best on this Boston team that has been playing well since the trade deadline. Unfortunately, the Bruins will have to most likely move on without Kase.