A trio of Boston Bruins players began their offseason by undergoing successful surgical procedures, the team announced Tuesday.
Winger Matt Beleskey was the first to go under the knife. He had his left hand surgically repaired April 14 and is expected to miss six weeks.
Defenseman Torey Krug was next, undergoing right shoulder surgery April 21 that is expected to sideline him for six months.
Finally, center David Krejci underwent surgery on his left hip April 25. He is expected to miss five months.
While Beleskey should be back to full strength long before training camp begins, Krug’s and Krejci’s recovery projections are a bit concerning for the Bruins.
The NHL regular season begins in early October, meaning if Krug’s six-month estimate proves accurate, he would miss at least the first half-dozen or so games. Krug also is set to hit restricted free agency July 1, so there’s no guarantee he’ll even still be with the Bruins when the 2016-17 campaign kicks off.
Krejci, meanwhile, is scheduled for a late September return to action. The 30-year-old said before the surgery he fully expects to be back in time for camp and also plans to compete for his native Czech Republic in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, which begins Sept. 17 in Toronto.
Krejci finished third on the Bruins this season with 63 points and led the team with 46 assists. Beleskey contributed 15 goals and 22 assists in his first season in black and gold, and Krug tallied just four goals but racked up a career-high 40 helpers, good for second on the team behind Krejci.
Thumbnail photo via Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports Images
