Injuries are piling up for the Boston Bruins as they head out west for a four-game road trip. Well, three of the four games will be out west, with a stop against the New York Islanders the night before Thanksgiving.
Boston will be without Casey Mittlestadt and Viktor Arvidsson, who are on injured reserve. There is some good news on the injury front with Elias Lindholm traveling. It is not known whether or not he'll play, the you have to think if he's traveling, the odds are fairly good that he does.
As for defenseman Charlie McAvoy, he will not travel after taking a puck to the face off a deflection against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night. Sturm did not have a medical update on Tuesday, but expects to have one soon.
“He will definitely not travel, let’s put it that way,” Sturm said. “He is still going to be out. You will get an update later on today or tomorrow about his health condition."
Before the trip, the Bruins called up defenseman Michael Callahan as a seventh defenseman.
Welcome home, coach
Boston's trip begins on Wednesday night in Anaheim against the Ducks before they play the Los Angeles Kings on Friday night. Sturm spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the Kings from 2018-22 before taking over the Ontario Reign, L.A.'s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.
“I love the West Coast, I really do. I’m always in California – [was] drafted there, San Jose, that was my home for a while. I was pretty pissed when I got traded, actually, to Boston,” Sturm said. “But then this became my home and now my favorite city. But there is always, for me, I have a soft spot, especially going back there with San Jose and even LA. They gave me the opportunity to be where I am at today.”
It will be a fun trip for Sturm, one that he hopes ends with some points in the standings ahead of American Thanksgiving next week.
John Beecher claimed off waivers by Flames
The Bruins placed John Beecher on waivers on Monday and Tuesday; the Calgary Flames claimed the former first-round pick. It ends his time with the Black and Gold after a couple of seasons that were up and down. Sturm didn't mince words about Beecher.
“For me, as a coach, I gave him an opportunity,” said Sturm. “Quite frankly, I thought he’d be better, more effective. At some point, you have to make a decision on how to move forward.”
It's not surprising that Beecher was claimed, and it's gone, but it came at an odd time with injuries mounting.