As expected, the Bruins announced a handful of transactions prior to Monday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes after Saturday’s costly win over the Montreal Canadiens.
But one overhanging – and vitally important – issue has not yet been cleared up. best defenseman Charlie McAvoy, who left Saturday’s game in the second period after taking a slapshot to the face in a scary scene, was not at the morning skate and coach Marco Sturm said there is no timeline on the blueliner at the moment. Sturm said McAvoy, who was able to travel home with the team from Montreal, was meeting with the doctors on Monday, which could produce a clearer update. Sturm said surgery is a possibility.
While the B’s planned to go with the six healthy defensemen they already had on the roster, there were a couple call-ups to bolster the forward group after Viktor Arvidsson, who suffered a lower body injury on Saturday, was placed on injured reserve. Sturm said he’s out week-to-week. Casey Mittelstadt, who suffered a lower body injury on Nov. 6, was also placed on injured reserve.
That allowed the B’s to recall forwards Riley Tufte and Matej Blumel. Both were set to go into the lineup against the Hurricanes, with Blumel going in on the second line with Pavel Zacha and Alex Steeves and Tufte skating with Sean Kuraly and Mikey Eyssimont on the fourth line.
To create cap space for the call-ups, defenseman Jordan Harris – already on regular IR with a broken ankle – was placed on Long-term Injured Reserve.
With Elias Lindholm still out – though he did take part in the morning skate – that means three of the B’s best-six forwards and their best defenseman are currently out.
With the way the schedule is condensed because of the Olympics, you could almost predict that a juncture like this will occur for every team at one point or another.
“I guess we’re not the only one. Montreal (is going through it as well),” said Sturm. “There are some teams I’ve already seen have a bunch of injuries. Some teams not. But it’s hard. It’s hard for my guys. It’s hard for everyone in this league. You see (Sunday) we had a day off, we play today and (Tuesday) we fly to California. That’s lit. And that’s why a lot of injuries will happen throughout the season. For us, right immediately, unfortunately a lot of good players are out. Sometimes you’ve got to be lucky, too. But we feel very confident the guys stepping in will do the same job.”
Like most players on the 12-2 Providence Bruins, both Tufte and Blumel were having good season in the AHL.
The 27-year-old Tufte leads Providence in scoring and is fifth in the AHL with 8-8-16 totals in 13 games.
“He just deserves the call-up because he’s been that good this season,” said Sturm.
Tufte brings some size (6-foot-6, 233 pounds) and an AHL-level scoring touch that has not yet translated to the NHL. In 24 NHL games between Dallas and Boston, he has two goals and an assist.
What has he done well in Providence this season?
“Ah, score?” said Tufte through his gap-toothed grin. “I think I’ve done a good job with that and just playing connected with my linemates. We’ve been so good down there playing our system and being together, protecting pucks down low and getting to the net. For me, I try to get my frame in front of the goalie’s eyes, so I’ve been doing a good job with that.”
It appears Providence has the makings of a special season.
“Obviously, both organizations are playing good right immediately,” said Tufte. “It’s fun to go to the rink every day when you’re winning. We lost down there (Sunday) night, but we’ve been playing so well down there, it’s just so fun to go to the rink. Guys are happy for each other getting called up. The camaraderie down there is awesome right immediately.”
The 25-year-old Blumel has an even higher profile AHL resume. He scored 31 and 39 goals the last two years with the Texas Stars before signing with the B’s in the offseason.
While Blumel felt he was close to making it out of camp, Sturm would not go that far.
“What I remember in training camp is there were a lot of opportunities and I don’t know if he was close or not, he just didn’t make it,” said Sturm. “But what I remember also is all those guys, Steeves and all those guys, the message they got from me is you’ve got to wait for your opportunity. You’ve got to work hard down there and prove to us you want to be up here. immediately’s your opportunity. That’s how it works.”
Blumel has 2-11-13 totals in 13 games in Providence.
“It’s been better every game. Obviously I was disappointed to go down there and I was working on my game and it’s gotten better. I’ve been liking my game the last few games,” said Blumel. “I thought I was close (to making it out of training camp). I was surprised but I took the decision and I went down there to work and come back here.”
Neither call-up made much of an impact in the 3-1 loss. Blumel played 13:10 with one shot on net and one giveaway. Tufte played 15:13 and scored a power-goal in the waning seconds with the game well decided.
“It’s a tough league. It doesn’t matter how well you play in the AHL. It’s just a big step. I know that, too, and you could see it today. I know both can play better but, yeah, it’s just a different league,” said Sturm after the game…
Both David Pastrnak and Henri Jokiharju were charged with five giveaways apiece.
John Beecher waived
John Beecher, the B’s first round pick in 2019 (30th overall), was placed on waivers for the purpose of assignment to Providence on Monday. In and out of the lineup, he had one goal in six games this year. Beecher possesses excellent speed for his size (6-3, 220 pounds) and is a good faceoff man who can kill penalties. He was a bubble player at the final cutdowns at the end of training camp but those attributes allowed him to hang on. But the 24-year-old center/wing has had a difficult time establishing a consistent level of play. As teams incur injuries across, there is a danger he could get snatched up for nothing. We shall see if he clears by 2 p.m. on Tuesday. …
Though Elias Lindholm rejoined the team for morning skate, Sturm wasn’t sure if he’d accompany the team on their four-game road trip that begins in Anaheim on Wednesday.
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