Newly acquired Boston Bruins forward Brett Connolly will miss the next six weeks with a displaced fracture in his right index finger, the team announced Wednesday.
Connolly suffered the injury during Wednesday’s practice when he was struck with a puck in the hand. Six weeks from the time of the injury is April 15, which should be around the time Round 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs begins.
The 22-year-old forward just arrived in Boston after the team acquired him early Monday morning in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Connolly has scored 12 goals with three assists in 59 games this season, all for the Lightning.
Connolly skated at right wing on the third line during Wednesday’s practice, and his injury might force B’s head coach Claude Julien to put Daniel Paille back at left wing and move Loui Eriksson to right wing on the third line. Chris Kelly also could play left wing on that line when Gregory Campbell returns from an upper body injury and takes his fourth-line center spot back.
The Bruins already are without top-six center David Krejci, who’s going to be out of the lineup for a few more weeks because of a partially torn MCL in his left knee.
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
