Carlo confirms concussion
Montgomery will be cautious with him
Defenseman Brandon Carlo participated in practice at Warrior Arena Monday but likely will not be available when the Bruins meet the Dallas Stars Tuesday night, according to coach Jim Montgomery.
Carlo, who had been listed out with an “upper-body injury,” confirmed he sustained a concussion in a 6-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes Oct. 15.
“Yeah, and it’s unfortunate, it’s been something I’ve experienced a couple times throughout my career,” Carlo said. “But through talking with the doctors, the way I’ve recovered through my concussions, it’s not anything to really be too concerned about at this point.
“So I’m feeling good in that regard and definitely feel confident still going out there and playing this physical game.”
Talking about possible accumulation of concussions leading to more difficulties, Carlo said, “Definitely concerned with that. I think from a hockey aspect I still feel very good, not unsafe to play by any means. But with these things it’s hard because you want to be reliable for your team.
“But in these situations, it’s a weird injury because you can’t really see it, besides what I’ve been experiencing with it all. It’s hard. I just want to continue to also be reliable for family — that’s a component of life you have to take into account.
“It’s good, the conversation I’ve had over the past couple years about concussions and things that are going on, because they are very real and I’ve experienced a lot of those symptoms and a lot of those different things.
“But overall I still feel very good where I’m at. I think talking with doctors about the severity of concussions and how long you’re out — if you can bounce back and recover well, it shows that everything is leading in the right direction.”
Carlo continued to play after his clash with the Coyotes’ Liam O’Brien, but soon departed.
“I took the hit and there have been times you’ll take a hit and you’ll kind of see stars,” Carlo recalled. “But as I was skating back up the ice, I really couldn’t see the play once I got to the far blue line. I don’t know, one of my eyes was black and I really couldn’t assess what was going on further down the ice. So I went back to the locker room to let that cool off and that’s when the doctors diagnosed it.
“My biggest goal was to play 82 games; that’s my goal every year. So I want to be reliable to the team as much as I can be. But unfortunately part of it is dealing with concussions and there are life side of things that I want to be relied upon, too, and it’s something I take very seriously.”
Montgomery said Carlo is “getting close but I’m going to be cautious with him.” He said the Bruins will rotate players once the defense corps returns to health.
“You’re going to have to keep guys involved or else it becomes a long year,” Montgomery said. “So there’s got to be some kind of rotation, but if you play well, it’s hard to take guys out. We already have the same problem up front.
“We’re blessed with a lot of good depth at every position. But it gets hard to find guys ice time and sometimes you do have to make changes not based on a guy should come out. And A.J. Greer is the perfect example. But we want fresh legs and I thought the fresh legs were going as far as [Craig Smith ]and[ Jakub] Lauko ,I thought they caused problems the last game.”
‘Just another team’
Montgomery on coaching against the Stars, who fired him in 2020: “Great people in Dallas, players and management that I really respect and loved working with. But it’s just another team. It’s more about the Boston Bruins continuing to grow as a team for tomorrow and the rest of the regular season.” . . . Jeremy Swayman, who last started in a 7-5 loss to Ottawa last Tuesday, will return to the lineup this week, Montgomery said. “It’s tough to go away from the hot hand,” Montgomery said of Linus Ullmark. “Sway’s getting back in the nets sometime this week.”
Wish list
Montgomery noted that he has hoped to meet Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, dating to Stevens’s Butler University days. On Sunday, a friend told Montgomery that Belichick “wanted to talk to me, and I’m like, ‘I’m watching my kid’s [hockey] game, can I call him tonight?’ ” Montgomery said. “Because I’m dying to talk to Belichick. Like I’d drive to the game tonight if he had five minutes for me, you know? I’ve always been a big fan of the GM of the Celtics [Stevens]. A lot of similarities — Butler is recognized for a great culture and I’ve read articles on the culture that was in place, and I’ve stolen some of them. We had similar ideas and concepts of how you treat people and how you deal with people. And I just wanted to pick his brain, and then what changed at the pro level? Because you have to adjust.”