Boston Bruins Injury News: David Krejci Has Upper Body Injury, Will Miss Winter Classic
The Boston Bruins announced on Tuesday that they have placed David Krejci on injured reserve after suffering an upper body injury, which he got during the team's 3-1 defeat against Ottawa, the first of a home-and-home series between the two teams.
According to league rules, a player placed on the injured reserve list will be forced to sit out for at least seven days, counting from the time he got the injury. This means that Krejci will no longer be available in the Winter Classic game on New Year's Day against Montreal. To substitute Krejci, the Bruins recalled Seth Griffith from Providence.
Bruins head coach Claude Julien can do nothing but try to make the best out of the recent trend of injuries that's bugging the team. "It's a long season and you're going to have challenges along the way. It's how you handle those challenges… we're being challenged because right down the middle, we've gotten thin," he said.
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Aside from Krejci, Boston also has to go on without Joonas Kemppainen and Chris Kelly. It's a huge blow to force playing without three of the most important pieces of the team, but Julien said they've got to find ways in order to remain competitive.
Krejci got the injury upon colliding with forward Bobby Ryan of the Ottawa Senators at the end of the second quarter. He did not return and was seen leaving the arena with a sling on his right hand. Putting him on injured reserve may put his team at a disadvantage but it is for long-term purposes, making sure that there will be no aggravations in case the team forces him to participate in the Winter Classic.
The 29-year-old is currently tied as the Bruins' leader in points this season with 33, comprising 11 goals and 22 assists. His average of .94 points per game is the best of his career.
