Anders Bjork made his season debut on Tuesday night against the Maple Leafs, and with David Krejci and Karson Kuhlman out and a stretch of three games in four days coming up, it seemed likely he’d be around for Saturday’s tilt with the Blues.
The 23-year-old wasn’t at practice on Wednesday, and the Bruins said in a news release he was sent back to Providence, but that doesn’t mean he won’t skate in the Bruins’ rematch with their Stanley Cup Final foe this weekend.
“Krejci is back out on the injury ice (ahead of practice) and (Joakim) Nordstrom was back on the ice full participation today, so a little bit of it is living in the salary cap world,” said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. “(Bjork) did enough to certainly get another look. I can’t guarantee that it’s going to be Saturday, but that’s where we’re at right now.”
Bjork, who had a strong training camp before being sent to Providence to work on scoring and get some confidence back after two season-ending injuries, had two shots on net and played 13:17 on Tuesday.
“He played well, earned the right to come back,” said Cassidy.
Krejci skating
Krejci skated ahead of practice on Tuesday after missing three games with an upper body injury. He was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday.
“He’s back skating, which is obviously step one,” said Cassidy. “We’re off tomorrow, so Friday we’ll see where he’s at. … He’d certainly have to get through a contact practice. It’s a day off, but there’s injured guys, he may skate tomorrow. That’s up to the medical team. Friday, if he gets through an injured practice, then we’d have to make a decision, yes.”
Nordstrom also practiced in full, while they know they’re going to be without Kuhlman for four weeks. The sooner Krejci can get back the better for a Bruins team with a heavy schedule coming up, including a weekend back-to-back with the Blues at home and the Rangers in New York, then the Sharks back home to start next week.
“Typically, (Krejci) wouldn’t come right back in in a situation where it’s three in four,” said Cassidy. “He’s been out a little bit with a couple of lingering injuries. We would probably err on the side of caution there, make sure he’s close to 100 percent and not force him in at 80 or something like that.”
Time off
Three days off is the longest stretch of the season so far for the Bruins, who won’t play until Saturday after Tuesday’s game. They’re taking Thursday off before getting back at it Friday ahead of the busy weekend.
“Typically, we’d have a day off after a game but then you’ve got Thursday-Friday, then we’ve got three in four,” said Cassidy. “Talking to the medical staff, talking to our strength and conditioning guys, even the players, we thought we’d be better. I like to go on the day after a game typically, loosen up, as long as it’s not a heavy workday. I think guys kind of get what they have out of their system and their legs, recover quicker. Kind of a quick skate. That’s what they’re doing today and they’ll be off tomorrow. The day off is built in, it’s just in between.”
