A pair of Boston Bruins are on the road to recovery.
After seeing their 2013-14 seasons cut short and missing the entirety of the playoffs, Adam McQuaid and Chris Kelly are both on the mend as they participated in the Bruins’ informal practice for the second straight day at Ristuccia Arena.
McQuaid, who was hampered by a quad injury last season that limited him to just 30 games, underwent ankle surgery in April to correct another issue that had been bothering him. The defenseman resumed skating roughly a month ago, and although he’s at full health, he added he’s a little behind on his conditioning.
“Just getting strength and endurance (back),” McQuaid said Wednesday, via MetroWest Daily News. “Again, it’s been a bit of a layoff, so getting back into situations, making plays and reading plays and understanding your position on the ice, which probably everyone will have a bit of an adjustment but it’ll be a little more for me. So just need to make those areas that I focus on.”
Kelly, meanwhile, underwent back surgery to repair a herniated disc on May 23, and was instructed not to do any sort of physical activity for six weeks. The veteran forward, who has been plagued by injuries the past two seasons, began skating in mid-July and, like McQuaid, feels confident he’ll be ready to go when training camp opens Sept. 18.
“Around the beginning of August I started feeling much better,” Kelly said. “I was getting into a routine, putting weight back on. Getting on the ice was a big step. I skated more this summer than I can’t remember how long. I only played 55 games, so I was excited to get back on the ice.”
Both Kelly and McQuaid are expected to start the regular season at full health.
