The Bruins will once again be without the services of defenseman Andrew Ference, who remains out with a hernia injury. It was originally reported that Ference suffered a groin injury, but now the Bruins are saying it's a hernia, and the swelling in the area has apparently not diminished.
According to Claude Julien, it's a wait-and-see situation, but Ference — who has missed the last three games — will not be back until at least next week.
"He'll get back to being able to play again at some point," Julien said. "We really don't know, nobody knows, how long it's going to take. It's a hernia and it depends on how quickly the swelling and all that stuff gets worked out."
From what Julien knows, Ference is improving and will play again this season, but the 31-year-old is currently just not to the point that he can skate.
"Yeah, he is getting a little better," Julien said. "I think from the beginning of the week when he was looked at, we're talking about maybe shutting him down for the week and again, it will all depend on how he is going to heal. But he will get back to being able to play at some point."
Julien stressed that when that point comes, there is no telling how long he will play and remain in the lineup.
"There is no guarantee," Julien pointed out. "There is a guarantee he will be back and he will be OK. Now how long he will last, that's a gamble. When I say gamble, there is no health risk to it, but it is a gamble we are willing to take."
