Matt Grzelcyk of the Boston Bruins lays on the ice after being hit into the boards by Oskar Sundqvist (not pictured) of the St. Louis Blues during the first period in Game 2 of the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on May 29, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters on Thursday that defenseman Matt Grzelcyk is in the concussion protocol. Grzelcyk had to leave Game 2 on Wednesday after taking a hit to his head area from Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist.
Cassidy added that Grzelcyk will not travel with the Bruins to St. Louis. He will be out for Game 3 and has a good chance to be out for Game 4 as well. He’s officially day-to-day.
It’s notoriously hard to project a timetable for returning from head injuries. The severity can vary wildly. Grzelcyk could be back to 100 percent after a few days, or he could be out for the rest of the series. Either way, his loss stings for the sake of the Bruins’ defensive depth.
May 29, 2019; Boston, MA: St. Louis Blues center Oskar Sundqvist boards Boston Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk during the first period in Game 2 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden. (Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports)
Sundqvist will have a hearing over the hit on Thursday. Recent precedent suggests he will receive a suspension.
Cassidy said that the Bruins are deciding between John Moore and Steven Kampfer to replace Grzelcyk in Game 3. Moore makes logical sense because he’s a left-shot defenseman with a similar skill set, but he’s still playing through an undisclosed injury himself.
More updates will come out on Grzelcyk’s status as they become available to Cassidy. But it certainly appears that the Bruins will need to win a couple of road games without him.
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.