Bruins place Torey Krug on IR; Charlie McAvoy out, too

Krug, 28, suffered an upper body injury in the Bruins’ 7-3 win over the Capitals Monday.

Torey Krug gets to his knees after being hit. Winslow Townson/AP Photo

By Kevin Paul Dupont, Andrew Mahoney

December 27, 2019

2 minutes to read

BUFFALO — On the same day team captain Zdeno Chara returned to the lineup, good to go after Monday’s corrective surgery on his jaw, the Bruins will be minus both Torey Krug and Charlie McAvoy from their back line Friday night in their first game following the holiday break.

Krug, smacked to the ice Monday night by Washington’s Tom Wilson, was placed on the NHL’s injured reserve list on Friday morning.

According to coach Bruce Cassidy, Krug will be eligible to return to action for the Dec. 31 matinee in New Jersey — but that could be optimistic.

“Out till Jersey with IR, minimum,’’ said Cassidy.

McAvoy, rattled by a late-third period hit by T.J. Oshie Monday night, did not travel here on the team flight Friday morning. Per Cassidy, he is scheduled to skate in Saturday’s workout in Brighton, and his availability for Sunday’s rematch at the Garden will be assessed then.

“Obviously, we’ll miss those guys,’’ said Cassidy. “But that’s where we’re at.’’

According to Cassidy, neither of the blue liners was placed in concussion protocol.

To fill the void, the Bruins recalled veteran Steve Kampfer from AHL Providence. Kampfer, 31, filled in earlier this season for four games before his recent assignment with the WannaBs, with whom he posted four assists over six games.

Chris Wagner, scratched against the Capitals, returned to the lineup, subbing in for Brett Ritchie.

Jarsolav Halak will be in the Boston net, with Tuukka Rask, who turned back 39 shots in Monday’s win, slated to be back in the barrel on Sunday.

The Bruins flew here Friday morning, wheels up from Hanscom at 8:40 a.m., which provided everyone with a complete 72-hour holiday respite.

Not under further review

As of early Friday afternoon, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety had announced no action, or review, of the Wilson and Oshie hits that led to both Krug and McAvoy being out of the lineup Friday.

“I haven’t seen anything,’’ said Cassidy. “I don’t typically get notified on that anyway. If there was [news] I’d hear it second hand.’’

Cassidy, when asked if he felt any of the Capitals’ hits were worthy of review:

“I think there was a spear on McAvoy by Wilson that was fairly obvious. But, I don’t know. I don’t know if they’ll do anything there.

“There was a slew foot by [Nick] Dowd on [Connor] Clifton for sure in the corner — very, very obvious.

“But if they don’t rule, they don’t rule. Sometimes that’s the way it goes. It’s behind us now.’’