Pavel Zacha’s status is still the biggest wrinkle hanging over the Bruins as they head into Tuesday night’s matchup with the Stars in Dallas.
Zacha, who left Friday night’s win over the Anaheim Ducks after taking a hard check into the boards in the offensive zone midway through the third period, did not return in that game. The next night in Los Angeles, he was out with what head coach Marco Sturm called an upper-body injury.
There was a little bit of encouraging news on Monday afternoon, though. Zacha was on the ice for Boston’s workout in Dallas ahead of the final game of the Bruins’ four-game road trip.
According to Jim McBride of the Boston Globe, he skated but did not take part in the line rushes. Instead, he worked as the extra forward while the rest of the group went through the same combinations Sturm used against the Kings.
Boston’s practice alignment included Peterka-Minten-Pastrnak, Khusnutdinov-Poitras-Geekie, Mittelstadt-Lindholm-Hagens, and Jeannot-Kuraly-Kastelic, with Zacha off to the side. The defense pairs were Lindholm-McAvoy, Aspirot-Borgen, Brunet-Lohrei, and Zadorov-Clifton, with Swayman and DiPietro in goal. McBride also noted there had been some mixing and matching during the session.
Still, Sturm wasn’t tipping his hand afterward.
"Today’s lines don't mean anything for tomorrow,'' said Sturm, per Belle Fraser of BostonBruins.com. "We will see. We will talk about it and sleep through it."
That kind of coyness makes sense this far from puck drop. The Bruins are trying to figure out what Zacha’s body can handle after the injury, and there’s no rush to force the issue if they don’t have to.
It would also not be a shock if Boston simply keeps him out for a second straight game. Matthew Poitras handled the second-line center role well against the Kings and made the hustle play in front of the net that led to Marat Khusnutdinov’s game-winning goal in the third period of Boston’s 4-1 win over Los Angeles. With some of the younger players performing well, there’s not much reason to shuffle pieces around unless injury demands it.
If Zacha is ready to return, one logical move would be to slide Sean Kuraly out and send Poitras back to the fourth line.
There’s another layer to this, too. It appears more and more that Zacha could be traded at some point, and that makes Boston even less likely to push him back too quickly. If a deal is in play, the Bruins would have every reason to avoid an injury that could complicate both his availability and his value.
The most likely answer on Boston’s lineup will come closer to game time, and maybe not even then. An optional skate Tuesday morning would fit the way Sturm has handled things, and he may wait until right before the game to reveal anything. For now, the Bruins are leaving the door open on Zacha - but not opening it very wide.
In Other News...
Bruins Just Turned A Zadorov Scratch Into A Bigger Problem
Nikita Zadorovs night on the bench against the Kings was already notable because it came after a double-minor penalty in the previous game against Anaheim, and Bruins coach Marco Sturm made it clear the decision was about discipline as much as anything else. For a team trying to keep its footing, a healthy scratch for a veteran defenseman is never just a routine lineup call, especially when it follows a lapse that drew attention in the first place.
The situation got more awkward when a social media exchange involving Zadorovs agent and a fan started feeding speculation about where things might be headed next. No formal trade talks have been reported, but the chatter added another layer to a story that began with one bad penalty and has now turned into something bigger for Boston to manage. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Roster Crunch Is Turning One Forward Into Trade Bait
Matthew Poitras being cleared to play has only tightened the squeeze on Bostons forward group, and the Bruins responded by placing Mikey Eyssimont on waivers and sending him to Providence. It is the kind of roster move that says as much about logjams as it does about performance, because Eyssimont has been productive in the AHL and still found himself on the outside looking in when the Bruins had to make room.
The problem for Boston is that there is simply no easy path back into the lineup right now, even with Eyssimont doing enough in Providence to keep his name in the conversation. When a player is producing down below but has no obvious opening upstairs, that is often where trade chatter starts to build, and the Bruins appear to be there now with a depth piece who may be more valuable as an asset than as a spare forward on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Bruins Suddenly Have A Matt Poitras Problem They Might Welcome
Matt Poitras has gone from a low-profile one-year, two-way signing to a player the Bruins have found ways to fit into the lineup almost immediately. After getting past a lower-body injury, the young forward has suited up for six games and chipped in five points, enough to draw steady praise from coach Marco Sturm for handling his assignments and taking advantage of the openings created by injuries around him.
The bigger wrinkle for Boston is what happens when the lineup gets healthier. Sean Kuraly was scratched while Poitras kept earning looks higher up the board, and Kuraly has since been preparing to return, which only tightens the competition for ice time. For a team trying to sort out its depth on the fly, Poitras has given the Bruins a useful problem, even if it is one they may have to solve sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]