In this latest edition of Boston Bruins News & Rumors, the Bruins have placed forward Milan Lucic on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). In other news, with the Bruins gaining some cap flexibility, Oskar Steen has been called up to the NHL squad. Lastly, the Bruins got some praise from the head coach of one of their division rivals. Let’s discuss all of this in today’s (Oct. 28) Bruins News & Rumors column.
Lucic Hits LTIR
Since taking a puck to the foot against the Los Angeles Kings, Lucic has been out of action for the last three games. Earlier this week, it was announced that the power forward will be out for multiple weeks. Now, Lucic has been placed on LTIR, meaning that he will need to miss at least ten games and 24 days.
With Lucic expected to miss multiple weeks, this LTIR placement is entirely understandable. This move also gave the Bruins some extra cap space, which they have since used to call up Steen. The hope will now be that Lucic is fully healthy by the time he is eligible to be activated off of LTIR.
Lucic has been off to a nice start in his return to Beantown, posting two assists and eight hits in four games. However, the Bruins will now be without his toughness and leadership for a decent amount of time. It will be interesting to see how they replace it.
Steen Gets Called Up
As noted above, Steen has received his first call-up to the NHL this season. The 25-year-old winger will now provide the Bruins with another option for their bottom six while he is with the club. This is a good opportunity for him to try to show the Bruins that he belongs in the NHL rather than the American Hockey League (AHL).
Steen has made appearances for Boston in each of the last three seasons, so he is a familiar face. In 2021-22, he played in a career-high 20 games with the Bruins, where he had two goals and six points. This past season, he only got into three games with Boston and scored a goal. So far this season with Providence, he has been off to a hot start, posting three goals and two assists in five games.
Related: 3 Takeaways From Bruins’ 4-3 Overtime Loss to Ducks
Latest THW Headlines
Overall, having Steen with the NHL team again is certainly not a bad thing. He has shown in the past that he has the potential to work in a bottom-six role with the Bruins. Let’s see if he can make a difference during this latest call-up.
Red Wings Bench Boss Praises Bruins
The Bruins are gearing up for a much-anticipated Original Six matchup against the Detroit Red Wings tonight (Oct. 28). These two clubs are currently at the top of the Atlantic Division, so it is a must-watch game. However, while speaking to reporters before the game, Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde praised the Bruins by saying, “They’re the gold standard.”
The Bruins have had plenty of regular-season success for many seasons now and, of course, made three appearances in the Stanley Cup Final since 2011. They also had their historic 65-win regular season in 2022-23. Due to this, it makes sense that Lalonde views them with such high regard. The Red Wings are a team on the rise and appear to finally be a legitimate playoff threat in 2023-24. Both teams now have a tough battle ahead of them, not only for this upcoming but for many years to come as division rivals.
The Bruins will be looking to bounce back from their epic collapse against the Anaheim Ducks against the Red Wings. This should be a great game between the two clubs, and we will need to wait and see who ends up emerging as victorious.
