Its been nearly two months since the Bruins last took the ice, but the injury reports are still coming in.
Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli confirmed to CSNNE.com on Thursday that Adam McQuaid and Nathan Horton had both recently checked in with the teams medical staffand the news was good.
McQuaid and Horton were both missing from the playoff roster due to concussion issues of differing magnitudes. McQuaid missed a number of regular season games after a concussion suffered in late March, and couldnt recover in time for the playoff series against the Capitals.
The brawny defenseman hasnt experienced any concussion symptoms in weeks and was given full medical clearance last week.
Im told by our doctors that McQuaid was in Boston last week and he was cleared, said Chiarelli.
Meanwhile, Horton missed the final 36 games of the regular season after suffering a head shot at the hands of the Flyers Tom Sestito, and has endured setbacks along the way to recovery. But the Bs power forward has begun exertion exercises over the last few weeks designed to raise his heart ratethe final set of test barriers for a player trying to shed post-concussion symptoms. According to the Boston GM, Horton is close to being given a clean bill of health.
Horton was in last week as well and is close to being cleared. Hes starting some exertion exercises, said Chiarelli. But he looked great and there should be no problems being ready for next season.
Chiarelli again stressed that both players were missed in a major way against the Capitals in their seven game defeat during the playoffs, and will be healthy difference-makers for the Bs this fall. It may be some time before a player like Horton is fully back to his snarling, edgy, physical self, but thats the final hurdle once good health has been achieved.
Hortons injury was big. Were a deep team, but were also a very balanced team. If you lose one thing from our team then it throws everything else off. Thats what happened to a certain degree, said Chiarelli. You missed his size, you missed his skating and you missed his shot. Hortons absence takes away from that top line to throw them off-balance and one of our strengths from last yearthe third linethey were thrown off-kilter as well.
If all goes according to plan medically, then the Bruins should in perfect balance when they open next season with a healthy Horton and McQuaid.