Patrice Bergeron Out At Least Two Weeks With Small Fracture In Right Foot
The Bruins’ newfound depth will be put to the test for the next two weeks. No. 1 center Patrice Bergeron is out with a small fracture in his right foot, and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.
GM Don Sweeney announced Bergeron’s injury on Monday during the team’s practice. Riley Nash centered the top line with Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak in his place, while free-agent acquisition Brian Gionta slotted into the third-line right wing spot.
Bergeron suffered the foot injury during the Bruins’ 4-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. He left the Air Canada Centre in a walking boot, and an X-ray that night came back negative. After playing through “some discomfort” in his foot on Sunday against the Sabres, a CT scan revealed the small fracture.
Bergeron has scored 27 goals and 27 assists with a plus-26 rating in 55 games this season.
Patrice Bergeron (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Now what?
The fact that Bergeron was able to play through the injury on Sunday indicates that the injury is not as severe as most fractures. He could very well return not long after the team’s re-evaluation in two weeks, barring setbacks. He has six weeks until the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
But Bergeron will be out for at least the Bruins’ next eight games, which feature some tough matchups. They play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, and get the red-hot Philadelphia Flyers next Thursday, March 8. They also have a home-and-home with the Chicago Blackhawks, who just traded them forward Tommy Wingels, coming on March 10-11.
Wingels will take Riley Nash’s spot on the third line with David Backes and Danton Heinen, head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters on Tuesday. Gionta will be a healthy scratch. The Bergeron injury certainly explains Sweeney’s aggressive last-minute push to acquire Wingels at the trade deadline on Monday.
As expected, Wingels will factor in as a bottom-six forward and likely penalty killer in the event of injuries. Unfortunately, Wingels’ first opportunity comes in the wake of a major loss for the B’s. But Bergeron should still be able to return before the start of the playoffs.
— By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
