With the Boston Bruins in the thick of a playoff race, they’ll have to operate without the services of one of their young players. Ryan Spooner has been diagnosed with a concussion and will be held out of the lineup indefinitely as he goes through the NHL’s concussion protocol. Spooner suffered the injury last night against the Ottawa Senators.
Spooner has had an interesting season so far, putting up points despite being on the trade block and not getting along with the head coach. His 34 points in 65 games actually puts him sixth on the team, ahead of pricey offseason addition David Backes. The 25-year old looked like he would put up his second straight 40+ point season, and be in line for a hefty raise this summer when he became a restricted free agent for the second time. Always able to rack up assists, Spooner has dominated the AHL level and at times looked like he could break out in the NHL and become a premiere set-up man.
This latest injury is a tough one to have happen at this point in his career, and one Bruins fans know all too well when it comes to elite playmakers. The Bruins are currently sitting in third place in the Atlantic Division, four points ahead of the Maple Leafs. Losing Spooner right now doesn’t help, though with Drew Stafford now in the mix perhaps his absence won’t be as noticeable. Hopefully for Spooner and the Bruins, he’s able to return in time for the playoffs—assuming they make it in.
Unlucky. He’s been playing well of late and is really good on the power play