The Boston Bruins have lost another player for a substantial period of time, as today the team announced that Joakim Nordstrom suffered a non-displaced fractured fibula during the Winter Classic. Nordstrom will be re-evaluated in three weeks.
It’s an unfortunate outcome for the 26-year old forward, who had settled into a nice role for the Bruins this season. After failing to receive a qualifying offer from the Carolina Hurricanes last summer, Nordstrom signed a two-year, $2MM deal with the Bruins and has been used extensively in the team’s bottom-six. Averaging more than 14 minutes a night, Nordstrom actually ranks sixth among all Bruins forwards in goals with five and has been a key penalty killer for the team. Though he doesn’t offer a ton of offensive upside, his consistent effort has been needed while the team has dealt with injuries all over the lineup.
His injury will open the door for another one of Boston’s young forwards to see more minutes, though the team has not made a roster move just yet. David Krejci was also absent from practice today, but that was due to the birth of his second child. Krejci is expected to be in the lineup tonight for Boston.