Bruins head coach Marco Sturm was asked for an update on Elias Lindholm both before and after last Saturday’s game against the Hurricanes.
Sturm did not have any answers on Saturday. But he had ’em on Monday, with the first-year Boston head coach offering the first glimpse of anything resembling a timeline on Lindholm’s recovery.
“What we thought had happened showed on the MRI,” Sturm said following Monday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena. “Obviously, I can’t tell you what [the injury] is exactly, but it’s going to be week-to-week.”
The injury occurred in the second period of last Thursday’s head-to-head with the Sabres, and on a center-ice collision with Buffalo’s Jordan Greenway. Lindholm ultimately required help getting back to his feet, and did not appear to put much weight on his leg as he was helped off the ice. The Bruins have since (and obviously) considered it a lower-body injury for Lindholm.
With Lindholm down, the Bruins have moved Marat Khusnutdinov from wing to center on the Black and Gold’s top line. The 23-year-old Khusnutdinov delivered immediate results by way of an overtime goal in Thursday’s win over the Sabres, and remained in that spot in last Saturday’s win over Carolina.
It looks like he’ll stay there Tuesday against the Islanders, too, as Khusnutdinov practiced between Morgan Geekie and David Pastrnak on Monday.
Beyond the top line, Lindholm’s absence has elevated Mark Kastelic up the Boston depth chart, with Kastelic moving to the right of Tanner Jeannot and Fraser Minten on Boston’s third line. Kastelic is the second-best right-handed faceoff option on the B’s roster behind Lindholm as is, and could be leaned on for more defensive-zone faceoffs with Lindholm out.
Speaking after practice on Monday, Sturm noted that part of Kastelic’s promotion to the third line came with faceoffs in mind, with the Bruins noticing that the lefty-shooting Minten was struggling on right-side draws.
Lindholm’s absence has also led to a return to play for fourth-line forward Johnny Beecher. Another penalty-killing forward with some defensive-zone chops, Beecher finished Saturday’s win with three hits and a block in 12:12.
And on the power play, Lindholm’s spot in the bumper on the top unit has been filled by Viktor Arvidsson. That could be a sneaky-big loss for the B’s, too, as seven of Lindholm’s nine points this season have come on the power play.
The sans Lindholm Bruins will look to make it four wins in a row Tuesday night when they visit Long Island for a showdown with the Isles. The B’s had a 5-2 comeback win over Patrick Roy’s club last week in Boston.