Jim Montgomery shared that prime defender Hampus Lindholm will be out for “weeks” with a lower-body injury, suffered whereas blocking a shot from St. Louis’ Justin Faulk on Tuesday evening. The shot appeared to hit Lindholm’s left knee and compelled him out of the sport after simply eight minutes of ice time.
Lindholm’s departure from the lineup is dismal information for the Bruins. He’s acquired the second-highest ice time on the staff, averaging just below 21 minutes by means of 17 video games — solely behind Charlie McAvoy’s 24 minutes of common ice time. Lindholm has recorded three targets and 7 factors in that span, including 17 blocked pictures and 5 hits. He’s returned as a pillar of Boston’s play within the defensive half alongside D-partner Brandon Carlo, with the pairing additionally dealing with top-unit penalty-killing duties along with their heavy utilization at even-strength.
Lindholm’s distinguished function will make him a problem to switch. Boston recalled veteran defender Jordan Oesterle on Wednesday morning, giving him an opportunity to debut with the staff after spending the final three seasons in Detroit and Calgary. Oesterle ought to present a few of the stalwart protection that Boston now finds themselves with out — and will even deliver an offensive spark, sitting with eight factors in 9 AHL video games this yr.
Oesterle will seemingly step right into a depth function whereas the staff waits for considered one of Lindholm or Andrew Peeke — designated as week-to-week with an upper-body harm final week — to return to full well being. That must also present a lift in ice time for Mason Lohrei, who’s scored 4 factors in 13 video games this yr but in addition boasts the very best xGA/60 of all Bruins defenders, per Pure Stat Trick.
The Bruins will get a little bit of reduction of their schedule after visiting Dallas on Thursday, with Vancouver standing as their hardest competitors earlier than the tip of November. They’ll hope to take full benefit of that respite, and both advance considered one of their shutdown defenders again from harm or discover a appropriate alternative of their shallow defensive depth.
