The Boston Bruins got some tough injury news Saturday morning.
Forward Sean Kuraly will miss approximately four weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fracture in his right hand, the Bruins announced. The 26-year-old suffered the injury blocking a shot Thursday night during Boston’s 5-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils.
Here are the details:
Sean Kuraly sustained a fracture in his right hand during the team's game against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, March 21. Dr. Matt Leibman performed a successful surgery to repair the fracture, and the expected recovery time is approximately four weeks.
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 23, 2019
At first glance, losing Kuraly may not seem like the biggest blow to the Bruins, at least when compared to what it would be like if one of the team’s bigger stars went down before the playoffs.
But fans shouldn’t gloss over this injury.
Primarily playing on the fourth line, Kuraly has netted eight goals while dishing out 13 assists in 71 games this season. His physical style of play and nose for the puck has helped make the fourth line a popular option for Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy during key moments of games.
The Bruins recalled forward Karson Kuhlman in a corresponding move.