Charlie Coyle had a bumpy 2021 season, and one of the potential contributing factors has come to light.
The Boston Bruins center underwent surgery on his left knee but is expected to be ready for training camp in September, his agents told The Athletic's Fluto Shinzawa.
"The Bruins' No. 3 center, according to agents Bob Norton and Glen Giovanucci, is recovering from recent surgery to repair an avulsion fracture in his left kneecap and a small tear of the patellar tendon," Shinzawa wrote in a story published Thursday. "Coyle is expected to be ready for training camp in September.
Norton told Shinzawa "Charlie says he feels so much better already."
While it isn't entirely clear when Coyle suffered the injury, he didn't seem right much of the season. While his offensive production was down, of more concern were his struggles to impact games even when he wasn't scoring. His playmaking ability for his linemates was not as sharp as it usually was and he got worked off the puck a more often than usual.
The 29-year-old ultimately played in 51 games this season, scoring six goals with 10 assists.
Coyle is a big part of the Bruins' long-term plans, so having him healthy is imperative. It sounds like the procedure was a step in the right direction.
