Jim Montgomery offers optimistic injury update on Bruins’ Justin Brazeau
After suffering an upper-body injury earlier in the month, the rookie forward could be available by Round 2 of playoffs.
Justin Brazeau has yet to make his playoff debut, but it’s not too late for the Bruins’ rookie power forward.
As the Bruins look to extend their 1-0 series lead over the Leafs in the teams’ first round clash on Monday, coach Jim Montgomery offered an optimistic update on Brazeau.
The 26-year-old suffered an upper-body injury on April 2 in a road win over the Nashville Predators and hasn’t played a game since.
“I don’t know exactly, but I would say round two,” Montgomery told reporters about the soonest Brazeau could return, per NESN.
The announcement offers a more definitive date for the bottom-sixer after general manager Don Sweeney noted last week that Brazeau was “week-to-week.”
Still, in order to see Brazeau back on the ice, Boston will need to knock Toronto out of the best-of-seven series. Brazeau’s fellow bottom-sixer, Johnny Beecher, put on a stellar playoff debut Saturday night when the rookie netted the first points of the game.
While Brazeau only tallied 19 games with the Bruins after being called up in February, the winger had an immediate impact on the fourth line. Brazeau logged five goals and two assists during his short stint in Boston, adding seven points, 43 hits, and a plus-4 rating.
The Bruins take on the Leafs on Monday night at TD Garden in Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
