Update 8:21 pm: CSNNE’s Joe Haggerty reported that Krug left Boston’s TD Garden on crutches and wearing a knee brace.
Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug suffered a lower-body injury tonight against the Ottawa Senators and will not return, the team announced. The Boston Globe’s Fluto Shinzawa tweets that Krug may have suffered the injury in a board battle with Ottawa’s Shane Prince, while CSNNE’s Joe Haggerty thinks it came from minor contract with Viktor Stalberg. The Bruins are already missing forward Brad Marchand due to suspension, and now are without two of their top five scorers tonight.
The Bruins hope that Krug’s injury doesn’t carry over in to the playoffs. Krug is fifth in scoring among NHL defenseman with 8G and 43A in 80 games this season. And while the Bruins clinched a playoff spot already, they could use Krug to help jockey for better playoff positioning. No team in the Eastern Conference right now wants to end up with the second wildcard spot and play the Presidents’ Trophy winner Washington Capitals.
Krug’s playoff performance in 2013-14—the last time the Bruins made the postseason—impressed many. Krug had 2G and 8A in 12 games before the Bruins lost to the Montreal Canadiens in seven games.