Nathan Horton Progressing in Recovery from Concussion, Could Begin Working Out on Bike As Early As Friday

WILMINGTON, Mass. – There hasn’t been a lot of good news surrounding the Bruins of late as the club was been mired in a slump in recent weeks with a 4-4-1 mark over their last nine games.

But there was one bit of potentially encouraging news to come out of Friday’s practice at Ristuccia Arena.

Forward Nathan Horton, who has been out since suffering what was diagnosed as a mild concussion against Philadelphia on Jan. 22, was still not on the ice with his teammates, but is making progress in his recovery.

“He’s feeling better today,” Bruins coach Claude Julien said. “And hopefully if everything goes well, I think he’s going to start going through the stages of recovery as far as working out.”

Horton has missed the last three games and is expected to miss at least this weekend’s matchups with Pittsburgh and Washington as he has yet to even begin any off-ice workouts. But that could be about to change, with Julien noting that Horton hoped to begin working out on an exercise bike later on Friday.

“Possibly today he’s going to start doing that,” Julien said.

Horton, who missed the final four games of the Stanley Cup Final with a severe concussion last June, had not missed a game this season prior to this injury, which occurred on a high hit from Philadelphia forward Tom Sestito. Horton has 17-15-32 totals in 46 games this year.

Horton was the only Bruin not present for Friday’s practice. Rich Peverley remained in Horton’s spot alongside David Krejci and Milan Lucic as Julien opted not to alter any of his line combinations or defensive pairs following Thursday’s 3-0 loss to last-place Carolina.

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