DeBrusk, Grzelcyk Appear Poised For Return Wednesday Night
BOSTON (CBS) -- It looks like the Bruins will be close to full strength when they take the ice against the New York Rangers on Wednesday night. Both Jake DeBrusk and Matt Grzelcyk appear poised to make a return for Boston.
The duo missed Boston's last four games with lower body injuries, and had a little more time to recover after the Bruins' two-game series with the Buffalo Sabres was postponed. Both made their return to practice on Monday, and were back on the practice ice Tuesday morning.
But for the last two days, Debrusk has not been in his usual spot on Boston's second line. Instead, he was part of Bruce Cassidy's new third line, alongside center Charlie Coyle and Anders Bjork. That left Craig Smith up with David Krejci on the second line, and it looks like Trent Frederic is now part of Boston's fourth line, based on Boston's practice lines on Tuesday.
#NHLBruins practice lines:
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) February 9, 2021
Marchand – Bergeron – Pastrnak
Ritchie – Krejci – Smith/Studnicka
DeBrusk – Coyle – Bjork
Frederic/Blidh – Kuraly – Wagner
Lauzon – McAvoy
Grzelcyk – Carlo
Zboril – Miller
Moore – Clifton
Rask
Halak
Booth pic.twitter.com/7Jqv8ZjX7q
That could all change once the puck drops Wednesday night, and Cassidy said it will be up to Debrusk whether he plays the left or right side. In six games this season, he has just one point (an assist) and is a minus-1.
Grzelcyk, meanwhile, will slot back into Boston's No. 2 defensive pairing with Brandon Carlo. He has missed six of 11 games this season, tallying three assists in his five games. If he's back in the lineup Wednesday, it looks like Conor Clifton would be the odd man out on the Boston blue line.
The Bruins, 8-1-2 on the season, have not played since Friday night.