Can you sense our sarcasm? Cause we be layin’ it on pretty thick.
After breaking down Milan’s recent injury on Goonblog.com only yesterday, when his return to form was estimated at just 2 weeks, the Bruins have now reported he’s been sidelined and listed on LTIR, meaning he will be unavailable for at least 24 days and 10 games.
What else does that classification mean? Well, since technically he has a longer-term and less reliable return date as of this morning, his salary comes off the cap. Not good. That said, a third-party source points out he may be able to return as soon as November 18th against Montreal.
Total Recalls
In response, they’ve called up center Oskar Steen as a replacement. The Bruins’ other recent recalls, which have since been revoked, brought them within an approximate margin of $82K under the cap ceiling. The difference between this and Lucic’s $1MM cap hit is the LTIR room they managed to create.
And Steen, a dynamic forward, will bring a strong offensive presence to the team. His speed on the ice and precision with the puck should increase the Bruins’ scoring potential, and his tenacious style of play can disrupt opposing defenses.
Although they couldn’t afford to recall two players, this move does afford them some flexibility in terms of who else they could feasibly rotate up in the near future.
Lucic Injury Recap & Details
Again, Milan Lucic’s absence is due to a lower-body injury (slapshot to the foot) that was initially thought to keep him out only for a couple weeks. As disappointed as we are, however, this extended timeline may work in Boston’s favor, as it allows for Steen’s integration into the roster.
Twitter users were quick to point out both Lucic’s history of durability and how difficult it can be to recover from the type of injury (cracked pedal navicularis) which many assume is the issue.
Lucic, 35 years old and in his first comeback season with the Bruins, had a promising start with two assists and eight hits in his first four games prior to his injury. Here’s hoping we see him back in fine form on November 18th vs. Montreal. What a pain it the… foot.
Let’s hope the WiFi isn’t that strong in the building on the 18th, if you know what I mean.