DeBrusk returns as B’s get healthy
The Bruins haven’t yet had their full roster available for a game, and won’t in the immediate future. But they’re inching closer.
“The good news is we’re getting healthier, maybe as healthy as we’ve ever been,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said after yesterday’s practice yesterday at Warrior Ice Arena.
The bright spot was the return of rookie winger Jake DeBrusk, who missed three games because of an upperbody injury, perhaps a concussion. DeBrusk skated with David Krejci and Anders Bjork, a line that might stick together when the B’s host the Arizona Coyotes tonight at the Garden.
“Jake obviously was getting closer, and he looks good now,” said Cassidy. “He’ll be a gametime decision. He’d have to be activated first. That’s something (general manager Don Sweeney) and I will discuss.”
The Bruins must open a roster spot to activate DeBrusk. If they choose to put a player on waivers, the top two candidates are wingers Matt Beleskey and Frank Vatrano. Beleskey would seem the obvious call because he’s in the third season of a five-year deal that carries an annual salary cap hit of $3.8 million.
Teams might see Vatrano as a useful goal-scoring threat.
Absent from practice were defenseman Torey Krug and forward Ryan Spooner. Krug likely will play tonight. Spooner likely will not.
Defenseman Adam McQuaid (broken leg) has been skating and has an outside chance to return next Wednesday in Detroit. Winger Peter Cehlarik (left leg) will be out a while longer.
Tomorrow’s game begins a stretch where the B’s should be able to pile up points — playing eight of their next 10 games at home, with road games in Detroit and Buffalo.
DeBrusk’s return will be a big plus for a team that has played well recently with exception of Monday’s 5-3 loss in Nashville, where the Bruins spotted the Predators a 4-0 lead. DeBrusk was a healthy scratch against Toronto but had six points in five games before getting hurt against Edmonton on Nov.26.
“Like a lot of young guys, he’ll have some ups and downs,” Cassidy said of the 21-year-old. “I thought he was in a bit of a down period (earlier). We addressed that. He missed a game, came back, took it to heart and played really well.
“He was trending up again, but these are things you have to learn to deal with, some time off, some injuries, some setbacks. Hopefully he’ll be a better player for it going forward.”
Cassidy said Krug sat out practice for “maintenance.”
“We’ll make that decision (today), see how he feels,” Cassidy said. “But the plan (is) to have him.”
He added Krug’s ailment is “similar to the problem from before,” but the team never gave details of that injury.
Spooner’s injury is of the lower-body variety. He missed more than a month because of a groin injury before returning for five of the past six games.
“We’re looking at it (and) re-evaluating,” Cassidy said. “We chose to keep him off (yesterday). We’ll see how he is tomorrow and go from there.”
So even though the trainer’s room remains busy, things are moving in the right direction.
“It took . . . longer than I’m sure (Cassidy) anticipated,” center Patrice Bergeron said. “I think it made us a better team . . . . (When we’re healthy) he’s going to try some things maybe he thought about doing in October but couldn’t do. So yeah, we’ll see how it goes.”
David Backes made a wise point about the B’s pending return to full health: They can’t let the talent infusion affect their blue-collar approach.
“What we can’t lose is you get all your guys back in their positions in the lineup and you think now we’re back to being a skilled, pretty team, making a play on every rush,” he said. “I think we’ve struggled every time we’ve tried to play that way.
“We’ve had success when we get pucks in behind the defensemen, made them come 200 feet to try and create offense. We can create a lot on those turnovers and transitions.”