Matt Grzelcyk continues to make strides in his recovery.
The Bruins defenseman underwent surgery June 3 to repair a dislocated shoulder that will have him sidelined to begin Boston’s 2022-23 season. Grzelcyk missed Games 6 and 7 in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs last season due to the injury before revealing the extent of it on breakup day.
The original timeline given was five months, which would mean a return date in November.
Grzelcyk suffered the injury Jan. 22 against the Winnipeg Jets and played through it for the remainder of the season, only missing games here and there when his shoulder would flare up.
“I would do that all over again, just to be back on the ice with the guys,” Grzelcyk told reporters Thursday of playing through the injury, per Boston Sports Journal’s Conor Ryan. “Anything you can do to join them and not wanting to give up. That was my mindset. Unfortunately, it kind of snowballed by the end.”
During the WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon last month, Grzelcyk revealed the recovery was a slow process but he was preparing to begin skating the following day. He was seen at Warrior Ice Arena last week before his teammates participated in captains’ practice, and he was back at it again Thursday before the Bruins held their first official on-ice training camp practice.
Grzelcyk began shooting Monday and told reporters there’s still no exact timeframe for his return.
The Bruins also will be without Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy — Grzelcyk’s partner on Boston’s top defensive pair — to start the campaign. So it won’t be an easy start to the season for the B’s, but it will be imperative to have everyone as close to 100% healthy if the Bruins want to make a lengthy Stanley Cup playoff run.
