Claude Julien has already given Tim Thomas a night off and Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara are expected to get a breather of their own on Thursday in Ottawa. The time off should help clear up any lingering bumps and bruises for some B's players entering a grueling stretch that Boston fans hope extends well into June.
While some Bruins players get their rest, others remain questionable heading into the elimination stages. Defenseman Johnny Boychuk was lost to a knee injury on Tuesday, and his status remains up in the air for the rest of the season. Nathan Horton, who's been out with a lingering concussion since mid January, provided some positive news in light of Boychuk's injury. Horton returned to the ice for some skating on Wednesday and at the very least boosted some hope for a playoff return.
There is no current timetable for either Boychuk or Horton's return to the team, but there will certainly be speculation surrounding both players as the games wear on.
There are a lot of questions afloat, as the Bruins head into their first-round series with Ottawa. So The Instigators will have plenty of topics to discuss on Thursday night. But you still have a chance to be a part of the conversation. Write in to have Billy, Barry and the gang answer your questions.
Submit a question by clicking here or leave your question in the comments section below. Then, tune in Thursday night at 10:30 p.m. after NESN Daily to see if your question is answered.