Huge loss: Seidenberg out for the year with torn ACL/MCL
According to a tweet released from the Boston Bruins, B's defensemen Dennis Seidenberg will miss the rest of the 2013-14 season due to a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee. The expected recovery time is 6-8 months.
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| photo via donmartelli.com |
What was previously described by the Bruins as just a "lower-body injury" last night, the severity of the injury turned out to be about as bad as it could be.
Seidenberg sustained the injury in a collision with Ottawa Senators' center Cory Conacher in the third period of yesterday's game at the Garden. Conacher fell awkwardly on DS44's leg after a hit. Seidenberg skated off on his power, but he was in clear pain as he skated to the bench gingerly and straight down the tunnel.
The Bruins have called up Zach Trotman on an emergency recall and sent goalie Niklas Svedberg back to Providence.
There is no understating this news; it is a huge blow to the Bruins defensive unit and the team.
Seidenberg has been the ultimate iron-man during his tenure in Boston. He's missed only five games since his first full season in Boston in 2010-11. (He missed the 09-10 playoffs after sustaining a torn wrist tendon at the end of the regular season).
Seidenberg established himself as one of the best defensemen in the NHL during the '11 Cup run, where he averaged a ridiculous 27:38 average time on ice to go along with 1 goal and 10 assists. He ranks second on the team this year in TOI with 21:50.
Losing his services for the remainder of the season is no doubt a brutal bit of bad luck dealt by the hockey gods. But if any team can survive the loss of one from their defensive core, time and again, it has been the Bruins who have proven they can stay afloat.
They will again be forced to dip back into the farm system in Providence, with the likes of Kevan Miller, David Warsoksky and the already called-up Zach Trotman helping to fill the giant void left by Seidenberg. They will also need Doug Hamilton and Torey Krug to step up and provide more defensive-oriented minutes in Seidenberg's absence.
Life without German Engineering starts now, with the Bruins finishing their home and home series vs Ottawa tonight at 7 pm.
