Early in the 2025-26 season, the injury news has not been good for the Boston Bruins on defense. First, Hampus Lindholm went down with a lower-body injury. Jordan Harris took his spot in the lineup and played well in the short sample before he too suffered a lower-body injury.
Against the Florida Panthers earlier this month, Harris fractured his ankle in the Bruins' 4-3 loss. On Monday, he underwent surgery and will be out for at least two months, which is a blow to the defensive unit.
“On October 21, Jordan Harris sustained a right ankle fracture during the team’s game against the Florida Panthers. On October 27, he underwent a successful open reduction and internal fixation procedure performed by Dr. George Theodore at Mass General Brigham. His expected recovery time is approximately two months.”
Bruins have clear option to call up from the AHL
Right now, the Bruins have seven defenseman up in Boston with Jonathan Aspirot in the lineup against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night, with Mason Lohrei being scratched again. Lohrei has struggled early in the season, but you wonder if there might be an injury there, too? Let's hope not.
Michael Callahan was returned to the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League (AHL) when they returned home from Ottawa earlier this week, but if another call-up needs to happen, and it will, before Harris returns, then youngster Frederic Brunet deserves a look.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Brunet made his NHL debut last year and looked good in training camp and preseason games. The fifth-round pick of the Bruins in the 2022 Entry Draft, 132nd overall, has been very good for the P-Bruins this year. He plays a heavy game and has shown the ability to defend at a high level in the defensive zone.
Boston is not blessed with prospect depth in the AHL, and if a more serious injury occurs to a top blueliner, then general manager Don Sweeney may have no choice but to make a trade for a defenseman. However, Brunet is worthy of a call-up while Harris is out recovering.