Bruins GM Don Sweeney Confirms Ondrej Kase Won’t Return This Season

It’s unclear what the long-term future holds for Ondrej Kase as it pertains to the Bruins, but the short-term picture became clear Monday.

Boston general manager Don Sweeney confirmed Kase won’t be available to the team for the rest of the playoffs.

“Ondrej has shut it down, as well, and will not be part of the availability for us moving forward,” Sweeney said Monday afternoon.

Kase missed almost the entire regular season while dealing with the lingering effects of a concussion suffered in the first week of the campaign. He returned for one game and looked decent in limited time before having to leave that May 10 game vs. the Islanders, as well.

The Bruins have been understandably quiet about Kase’s injury, although head coach Bruce Cassidy said earlier this month the winger’s injury wasn’t believed to be related to the concussion.

“I think there was a little bit of a conditioning (matter) with him,” Cassidy said the day after Kase’s return. “It was his first game in along time, so I was told he just didn’t feel like he was getting through it where needed to be, so he let the training staff know.”

The Bruins acquired Kase at the 2020 trade deadline, acquiring him from the Anaheim Ducks for David Backes, prospect Axel Andersson and a first-round pick. To say it hasn’t worked out as planned would be an understatement. Kase has played just 20 games (including playoffs) with Boston since the trade.

The 25-year-old is a restricted free agent this summer.