Bruins’ Jim Montgomery gives update on Jake DeBrusk injury scare

Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk had himself a little injury scare on Thursday night, but it sounds like the team dodged one here.

Head coach Jim Montgomery told reporters after the game that DeBrusk is OK after a frightening collision with Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm during a Bruins power play in the first period. DeBrusk had to exit the game for the Bruins locker room and ended up playing 15:28 of ice time, his lowest output since Feb. 18.

But Montgomery had an explanation for what happened, and it makes sense why the issue wasn’t as bad as it looked.

• 

  Feb 18, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Jake DeBrusk (74) prepares for a face-off during the second period against the New York Islanders at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

• “I think that most of it was just that he got the wind knocked out of him because when you’re not expecting a hit and there’s just an accidental collision like that, you don’t brace yourself for the hit and it knocks the air out of you,” Montgomery said. “We’re lucky that’s all it was.”

  Another injury to a left wing is all the Bruins needed at the moment. It would’ve been another tough break for DeBrusk, who missed 17 games with a fractured fibula in January and February. The B’s are without both Taylor Hall (long-term injured reserve) and Nick Foligno, who are each dealing with lower-body injuries.

• 

  MONTREAL, CANADA – JANUARY 24: Taylor Hall #71 of the Boston Bruins and Jordan Harris #54 of the Montreal Canadiens skate after the puck during the third period of the game at Centre Bell on January 24, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Boston Bruins defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

• There’s hope that Hall and Foligno will both be able to return by the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The 2022-23 regular season concludes on April 13 and the playoffs are expected to start on April 17.

  Hall is expected to practice in some capacity next Monday, according to Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe. Dupont believes Hall would have a chance to return to game action “upon the conclusion of the club’s upcoming five-game road trip,” meaning he could theoretically be back on March 21 against the Ottawa Senators at TD Garden. But nothing is official yet.

• Sports Hub Underground: Listen to the Newest Episode

  (Click here to subscribe to the Sports Hub Underground podcast.)

• We’ll have more on the Hall injury and any other Bruins news here at 985TheSportsHub.com, as we head into the weekend.

  Click here for complete Boston Bruins coverage at 985TheSportsHub.com.

  Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster 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? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. Check out all of Matt’s content here.